A bill that has passed the House and now needs Senate approval, will give Medicare the right to negotiate drug prices and bargain directly with the pharmaceutical companies. Drug companies are lobbying hard against this legislation.

AARP is urging all members and all seniors to contact their Senators on April 4, AARP’s National Call to Action Day, to urge their senators to pass this bill and give Medicare the ability to negotiate lower prices for their 43 million beneficiaries.

For instructions on how to join the Call to Action, see the AARP website.

Seniors are increasingly turning to generic equivalents of prescribed drugs to save costs. New data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show that generic-drug utilization exceeds 60 percent in Medicare Part D.

Keeping costs down is good for seniors and it’s good for the program. For every percentage point increase in generic drug utilization, Part D drug spending falls by by an estimated $12 billion over the 2007 to 2015 period.

Keeping drug costs low helps to keep program costs low which in turn keeps Part D premiums from rising for participants. It will also help prevent seniors from falling into the “donut hole” coverage gap.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association believes these data should serve as a reminder to policymakers about the need to expand access to generic drugs. At least 14 name brand drugs commonly used by seniors are expected to be in generic form by 2009.

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

It’s tax time again and once you’ve retired your tax picture can change dramatically. There are tax preparation services available, but for those on a fixed income, paying the high fees of an accountant or tax-preparer may be budget-busting.

For seniors, AARP offers Tax-Aide - a free, volunteer-run tax counseling and preparation service. 32,000 volunteers provide free tax preparation and assistance services to low and middle-income taxpayers, with special attention to those 60 years of age and older. Electronic filing and online counseling are also offered.

Go to the AARP website for more information about Tax-Aide and to find a Tax-Aide site near you.

The CDC has announced that the annual cost of arthritis in the US has increased to $128 billion annually in medical care and indirect expenses such as lost wages and production.

Arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability. Currently, 46 million Americans have arthritis and an estimated 8 million new cases will be diagnosed in the next decade. As the baby boomer generation ages, they add to the millions of arthritis sufferers in large numbers.

Arthritis is not only costly in monetary terms. Arthritis costs millions of individuals their health, physical abilities and often, their independence.

The Arthritis Foundation, the nation’s largest private, non-profit contributer to arthritis research has spent more than $380 billion since 1948 to support research into causes and cures of the many forms of arthritis.