American College of Physicians and AARP provide resource to explain health care law

New Resource to Explain the Health Care Law

American College of Physicians, AARP launch consumer-friendly guide to help people understand how the new law may affect them.

WASHINGTON—Today, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and AARP launched an online guide to help inform consumers about the health care law. The guide is written and organized in a way that clearly explains what the law has changed, why these changes were made and when the changes will take effect.

ACP is encouraging its member doctors to download the guide— available at http://www.acponline.org/healthlawconsumerinfo — and make it accessible to patients.

“I want my patients to have the best information possible,” said ACP President J. Fred Ralston, Jr., MD, FACP. “This guide lays out the changes brought about by the law and will help my patients and their family members make more informed decisions about their health care.”

PhRMA to find $80 billion in discounts

Our country needs healthcare reform. What's the pharmaceutical companies doing about it? How are they contributing?

PhRMA members are pledging to find $80 billion in discounts. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies. This may include reducing drug prices by 50% to seniors in the Medicare Part D “donut hole” coverage gap. The complete details of this plan are still in process and it won't be finalized until the plan is scored by the Congressional Budget Office.

At at a press conference with AARP officials, President Obama made the following statement: “The agreement by pharmaceutical companies to contribute to the health reform effort comes on the heels of the landmark pledge many health industry leaders made to me last month, when they offered to do their part to reduce health spending $2 trillion over the next decade... We are at a turning point in America's journey toward health care reform. Key sectors of the health care industry acknowledge what American families and businesses already know - that the status quo is no longer sustainable. The agreement reached today to lower prescription drug costs for seniors will be an important part of the legislation I expect to sign into law in October. And to do that we're going to have to work together to root out waste and inefficiencies that may pad the bottom line of the insurance industry, but add nothing to the health of our nation. To that end, the pharmaceutical industry has committed to reduce its draw on the health care system by $80 billion over the next 10 years as part of overall health care reform."