LINCOLN, Neb. -- State AARP leaders are celebrating recent federal legislation, while also encouraging Nebraskans to take advantage of the bill.

AARP Nebraska Director Todd Stubbendieck said his office is educating its members about what he believes are significant benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Stubbendieck said the legislation caps insulin at $35 per month for anyone on Medicare, while also allowing those on Medicare Part D to get any doctor-recommended vaccine for free.

"The [vaccine] that comes to mind right away is shingles," Stubbendieck said. "Shingles can be a debilitating condition to get, and we have a safe and effective vaccine, but the co-pay was often very high for Medicare folks. I know personally several people who said, 'You know, I'd want to get it, but I just can't afford it and I'm not going to do it.'"

Stubbendieck said while the new legislation is something he and his members are happy about, he doesn't believe their efforts are done just yet, noting that there's one thing that's most important to his office.

"We need to make sure people are aware of the benefits that exist to them and that the administration is implementing properly," Stubbendieck said. "The other part of this is the big drug companies are not happy about this at all. So, we have to continue to make sure that they're not finding ways legislatively to chip this away and take away these benefits from folks."

Approximately 263,000 Nebraskans are on Medicare Part D.

The act was passed by Congress in August. It was officially signed into law later that month by President Joe Biden.