To the Editor:
I know first-hand how hard it can be to keep up with expenses every month. The cost of living, the price of just about everything, and a shaky economy can be tough to handle.
For years, I also had to take a prescription drug for my diabetes. As I had Medicare Part D, the program paid for most of my drug costs for the first six months of the year, but once I fell into the prescription drug coverage gap (the “doughnut hole”) that same drug came with a price tag of over $400 per month.
For anyone who might be doubtful that the Affordable Care Act will make a difference, it is worth noting that over time it closes the doughnut hole completely, which will make a huge difference to millions of Americans across the country and right here in Maine.
While I don’t take that drug anymore, I remember when the winter months came and I would start getting my oil bills and wondering if I should heat the house, cut down on food, or take the drug that I needed so badly then.
I know many people who have very limited incomes and if you are making decisions like that every month, it is frightening, to say the least. I am glad to see that over time, affording one’s prescriptions will become less of a challenge for our at-risk neighbors and families.
Debbie Mullen, Boothbay Harbor
