In recognition of the anniversary of Medicare's establishment and as Coloradans eagerly await savings from the first round of Medicare price negotiations, the Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans and Rocky Mountain Values met with Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo’s staff and delivered a letter today expressing gratitude for her efforts to strengthen Medicare.
Since its inception, Medicare has revolutionized healthcare by significantly reducing the number of uninsured older Americans, lowering costs, enhancing care quality, and increasing life expectancy. Today, nearly 1 million Coloradans are enrolled in Medicare, reflecting its bipartisan success.
The letter commends Rep. Caraveo for her “efforts to continue this historic work by building on the Inflation Reduction Act provisions that allow Medicare to negotiate prices directly with drug companies for some of the most expensive brand-name drugs covered. Presently, this law is set to save more than 100,000 Coloradans who take medications selected for negotiations like Eliquis, Xarelto, Jardiance, Januvia, and Farxiga. Moreover, it has capped out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, which the Republican Study Committee proposed budget outlines, would eliminate $48 million in expected savings for over 177,000 Coloradans.”
Rocky Mountain Values and the Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans pointed to Rep. Caraveo's support for legislation to further reduce drug costs and combat pharmaceutical price gouging as a key example of critical work to strengthen the program in the face of ongoing threats to critical retirement programs, including the recently announced Project 2025, which aims to dismantle the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and undermine Medicare.
The letter concludes with a call to action for Rep. Caraveo to continue championing this issue on behalf of Coloradans so that Medicare is a program that serves generations to come.
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