Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced his co-sponsorship of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This legislation will lower prescription drug prices, close coverage gaps for Medicare beneficiaries, and invest critical funding for innovative cures and treatments.
“H.R. 3 is a revolutionary healthcare bill that will empower the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower drug prices. H.R. 3 also reinvests billions of dollars in research for new breakthrough treatments for the American people,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “This legislation will save patients thousands of dollars on prescription drugs, give seniors access to dental, vision, and hearing benefits, and relieve millions of families buried by healthcare costs. I look forward to casting my vote on Thursday for this life-changing legislation.”
The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act makes transformative expansions to Medicare’s benefits to include dental, vision, and hearing for the first time in the history of the program. It also establishes an out of pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries while directing critical funding to research and development of new cures and treatments, as well as funding to combat the opioid crisis. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R. 3 is anticipated to save approximately $500 billion over the next ten years. These savings will be reinvested in the American people.
Key facts regarding H.R. 3 and the 15th District of Texas:
· In the 15th District of Texas, there are 77,879 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 352,582 people enrolled in private health insurance – all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3
· Expansion of Medicare coverage for dental vision, and hearing service in the 15th District of Texas would benefit:
o 95% of beneficiaries (96,200 people) from adding a dental benefit
o 75% of beneficiaries (75,400 people) from adding a vision benefit
o 89% of beneficiaries (90,100 people) from adding a hearing benefit
The full bill for H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act can be found here.
 announced his co-sponsorship of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.){kind=link}