State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), a physician who chairs the Connecticut General Assembly's Public Health Committee, criticized the Trump administration's decision to end a Medicare Part D drug subsidy program affecting millions of seniors.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week it will phase out the temporary two-year program, which reduced consumer prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries and lowered average monthly Part D premiums by $16 in 2026 for roughly 25 million enrolled Americans.
Originally launched by the Biden administration in 2024, the program was created to help patients manage Medicare Part D drug costs impacted by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Beginning in 2027, millions of older adults enrolled in Medicare prescription drug plans nationwide may experience higher monthly out-of-pocket expenses as a result.
Anwar is a physician and chairs the Department of Internal Medicine at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals.
Anwar said, "This decision to end the Medicare Part D premium stabilization program is a step in the wrong direction. It places millions of seniors and people with disabilities at risk of higher prescription drug costs and greater financial security. At a time when families are already struggling with the cost of living, this decision makes essential healthcare less affordable for those who need it most.
"As a physician, I have cared for far too many patients who skip medications, cut pills in half or delay treatment because they cannot afford their prescriptions. Policies that increase financial barriers do not save money. They lead to more illness, more emergency room visits, more hospitalizations and ultimately higher healthcare costs.
"I believe we should be strengthening protections that make medications affordable, not dismantling them. Our seniors deserve stability, dignity and the peace of mind that they will never have to choose between filling a prescription, buying groceries or paying their utility bills. We must put patients before politics and protect access to lifesaving medications."
Anwar also serves as Vice Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and holds the leadership post of Deputy President Pro Tempore of the State Senate.
