Washington, DC (September 11, 2018) – The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association has issued a statement calling on Congress to fix issues with the Medicare Part D program:

“If Congress does not act to change the Medicare Part D cliff, the amount of out-of-pocket spending needed to reach catastrophic coverage will climb up an additional $1,250, increasing out-of-pocket costs for patients. Our mission at AARDA focuses on alleviating the suffering and financial burdens autoimmune diseases impose on patients, and unless Congress takes action to fix this issue, the cliff will create yet another roadblock in those efforts.

Additionally, changes included in the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018 that could potentially undermine the competitive structure of the Part D program need to be addressed. Those with autoimmune diseases rely on medications to stay healthy and deserve access to the affordable care made possible by Part D’s competitive marketplace. We urge Congress to focus their attention on fixing these detrimental changes in order to protect beneficiaries suffering from any health issue, including those Americans who suffer from autoimmune disorders that require the highest standard of care.”