NAMI Joins Nearly 300 Advocacy Organizations to Urge Congress to Safeguard the Medicare Part D Low–Income Subsidy

Oct 2, 2017

Today, NAMI and nearly 300 disease and patient advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress urging policymakers to protect the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program.  Proposed changes to the LIS program—which helps more than 11 million low-income Medicare beneficiaries afford medications—could restrict prescription drug access and increase costs for millions of already vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries across the country.

These proposed changes would increase the cost of brand name medications for low-income Medicare beneficiaries—including many below the federal poverty level—and would impede doctors’ ability to prescribe the most effective treatments. Additionally, increased costs could make it more difficult for patients to adhere to their recommended treatment plans.

NAMI, along with the hundreds of advocacy groups are calling on Congress to reject the proposed Medicare Part D LIS changes and put patients first by protecting the program from harmful changes and preserving patient access to the care they need.