More people get free preventive benefits

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported Thursday nearly 20.5 million people with Medicare reviewed their health status at a free annual wellness visit or received other preventive services with no deductible or cost sharing this year.

In addition, nearly 1.8 million people with Medicare have received discounts on brand-name drugs in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, also known as the “donut hole,” between January and August of this year. The total value of discounts to people with Medicare in the donut hole is nearly $1 billion through August of this year, with an average savings of $530 per beneficiary.