MADISON (WKOW) -- 88 year-old James Emery is no stranger to Mallatt's Pharmacy on Monroe Street.
"I take twelve medications a day and some, four times a day," said Emery, as he waited for one of those prescriptions.
It doesn't take Emery long to surpass his yearly Medicare Part D initial prescription coverage limit of $2,930.
After that, he goes from paying 25 percent to 100 percent of his medication costs out of pocket until catastrophic coverage kicks in, about $4,700 dollars later.
"When the average income for seniors in our country is less than $22,000, we need to make sure that the program that we currently have for the donut hole of Medicare Part D continues," said Billy Feitlinger, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans.
The donut hole refers to that gap between the initial and the catastrophic coverage.
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, there is a provision that covers part of it that could be in jeopardy if the Supreme Court strikes down the entire law on Thursday.
"Oh, 50 dollars, 55 dollars a month," said James Emery, referring to how much of his costs are covered.
The average savings in Wisconsin is over $100 a month per recipient.
This year alone, the total savings is over $9 million for 12,637 people through May.
"We feel very strongly, that provision must stay in the law," said Feitlinger. "If it doesn't because of the court decision, we will then go back into Congress and try to make sure that they put the reductions of the donut hole for people who are in the donut hole for medications."
Emery has no idea what to expect from the high court.
"Whatever the decision is, we're gonna have to live with it and make the best of it," said Emery.
If the Supreme Court only strikes down the individual mandate that requires everyone to buy insurance, Billy Feitlinger believes the Medicare Part D provision should be safe for now.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- While much of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has yet to go into effect, several provisions are already serving thousands of people.
One such provision helps cover the cost of prescription drugs for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, when they hit a gap in coverage referred to as the "donut hole."
A new study from the Wisconsin Alliance of Retired Americans shows that Medicare Part D recipients in the WKOW viewing area have saved an average of $780 to cover that gap, because of PPACA.
That savings could be at risk if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the entire law this Thursday.
Capitol Bureau Chief Greg Neumann will have reaction to the possible changes on 27 News at 5 and 6.
