Administration: Health law led Medicare beneficiaries to save $4.5 billion on prescriptions

USA Today reports the Obama administration is annoucing that, because of provisions in the health law Medicare's prescription drug doughnut hole, Medicare beneficiaries experienced considerable savings.

USA Today: Medicare Recipients Save $4.5 Billion On Prescriptions
Medicare beneficiaries have saved a total of about $4.5 billion on prescription medications because of the 2010 health care law since January 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services plans to announce today. … The announcement comes two days after the Congressional Budget Office found that about 2 million more people than expected would be paying an average $1,200 penalty for not purchasing insurance as required by the law beginning in 2014. The number affected is significantly higher than the 4 million the CBO had estimated would pay a penalty in 2010, shortly after the bill passed (Kennedy, 9/21).

In other health law news -

The Denver Post: Health Care Battle Has Plenty Of Fight Left, Denver Panel Show
A key architect and a sharp opponent of national health care reform clashed in a debate Thursday over how much "Obamacare" limits consumer choice and holds hope of cutting costs. The Affordable Care Act strips exactly the kind of freedom consumers need to make better care choices and reduce costs, health economist Linda Gorman argued at a panel sponsored by The Denver Post and the University of Denver (Booth, 9/21).