Losing low-income drug subsidies increases death risk among vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries.
When people lose access to life-saving medications, it can put their lives in real danger. A recent study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard found that older adults who lose their low-income drug subsidies under Medicare are more likely to die sooner. The researchers looked at what happened when nearly one million people lost their Medicaid coverage. Medicaid, for many low-income seniors, is what qualifies them for an extra help program under Medicare Part D called the Low-Income Subsidy, or LIS. This program helps pay for prescription drugs and can be worth over $6,000 a year. When Medicaid is lost, LIS goes with it, and so do the medications many people depend on.
The researchers were able to compare two groups of people who lost Medicaid at different times of the year. Because of how the system is set up, one group lost drug coverage faster than the other. This allowed the researchers to look at what happens when people go without medication. They found that people who lost the LIS earlier were more likely to die within a short period of time. The numbers may seem small on paper, but they are meaningful. In the study, the risk of dying was 4% higher for people who lost the subsidy sooner. That means thousands of preventable deaths—just because of a change in paperwork or coverage dates. The risk was even higher in people with serious medical needs, such as those taking medications for HIV. In that group, deaths were 22% more likely after drug coverage ended.
One of the most surprising parts of the study was how many people got kicked off Medicaid even though they were still eligible. In fact, more than half of the people who lost their coverage ended up re-enrolling within a year. This tells us that a lot of people didn’t lose coverage because of a change in income or assets—they lost it because of confusion, paperwork problems, or system errors. That gap in coverage, even if it lasts a few months, can be deadly for someone who needs daily medication to survive.
This isn’t just a numbers problem. Behind every data point is a real person who may be trying to choose between paying for food, housing, or their prescriptions. These are people who might feel fine one week, then end up in the hospital the next, just because they had to go without their medication subsidy. It’s also worth noting that losing medication can mean more hospital visits, which ends up costing the health care system even more money in the long run.
What this study shows is that keeping people connected to Medicaid, and by extension to drug assistance, can save lives. These programs exist for a reason. When they work the way they should, people live longer and healthier lives. But when people fall through the cracks, even temporarily, the consequences can be deadly. It’s not just about access—it’s about survival.
Sources:
Loss of drug subsidies linked to higher mortality among low-income Medicare beneficiaries
Loss of Subsidized Drug Coverage and Mortality among Medicare Beneficiaries
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