I realize you have a question about social security. My goal is to help you better understand your options.

Great question, and great timing, given the landmark decision today to uphold the law dubbed "Obamacare."

Many Medicare recipients are interested in how the legislation effects them, namely for the Medicare D "donuthole."

When a medicare recipient reaches $2,930 in prescription drug costs, benefits stop and then pick up again when the cost of drugs reaches $6,657. While you are in that 'donut hole' Medicare recipients will get a 50% discount on name-brand medications; Generic medications will also be discounted, but by a lesser amount - for 2012 it's 14%.

So, the donut hole won't be eliminated, although seniors and the disabled on Medicare will have less out of pocket costs. How much out of pocket costs will be determined whether the senior uses name brand or generic drugs.

Thanks for your question, and I hope that the recent legislation will lower your medical costs. Please let us know if you have any additional inquiries.

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I see you gave a rating of "helped a little"

What can we do to raise that to "got the job done" or higher?

Pre-obamacare, the donut hole is $3,727. With Obamacare in place, if you use generic drugs you will only pay 1/2 of that donut hole or $1,863.50

If you use Generic drugs only, then you'd pay $3,205 which is still less than the donut hole.

Most seniors will pay something between those to amounts, as most have a combination of generic and name brand drugs that they use.

So although there isn't an all-out elimination of the donuthole, it is closed off a little bit. In addition, there will be annual increases to the $2,930 level where the donut hole begins.