Posts filed under ‘Health Care’
New York Says No
New York voted for Medicare yesterday. In a traditionally Republican district, Democrat Kathy Hochul won a special election for an open Congressional seat. The major issue in the campaign was the budget recently passed by Republicans in the House of Representatives that eliminates Medicare as a defined benefit program. Candidate Hochul opposed this change, recognizing it for what it is – an end to Medicare. Voters agreed with her.
The New York vote reminds us that Americans value Medicare. They understand that the Republican Budget won’t save Medicare; it will replace it with individual vouchers toward the cost of purchasing private insurance.
Under the Republican plan, beginning in 2022, people who become eligible for Medicare would instead receive a voucher, worth about $8,000. No one knows what private plans would be available for purchase, what geographic regions would be included, or what health services and providers would be covered. We do know that Medicare guarantees certain coverages, and it has worked to bring quality health care to older and disabled people for 46 years. When Medicare was enacted in 1965, half of all Americans 65 or older had no insurance. Private insurance did not want to cover them. Now, because of Medicare, 95% of people 65+ are covered.
Yesterday, Joe Courtney, the Congressman who represents the district of the Center’s home office also said yes to Medicare and no to vouchers. ( VIDEO: Courtney decries GOP plan to end Medicare as we know it.)
Fortunately, when Kathy Hochul takes her seat in Congress to represent New York, Congressman Courtney will have another ally in efforts to preserve Medicare.
President Obama Supports Medicare
Thank you, President Obama, for proposals that strengthen Medicare. We are so pleased, and relieved, to have a leader in the White House who’s drawn a line, refusing to pretend the elimination of Medicare and Medicaid are necessary to protect America’s future. Instead, he’s called for real, shared responsibility and is continuing efforts to provide affordable health care for all.
The President’s framework for fiscal responsibility protects the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid by building upon the progress made in the Affordable Care Act to cut overall health care costs. His proposals strengthen both programs while achieving savings by addressing Medicare physician payment reforms; reducing overpayments; improving care for those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid; and focusing on wasteful spending and cost growth.
The President was explicit about his vision for Medicare and Medicaid when he said:
…”let me be absolutely clear: I will preserve these health care programs as a promise we make to each other in this society. I will not allow Medicare to become a voucher program that leaves seniors at the mercy of the insurance industry, with a shrinking benefit to pay for rising costs. I will not tell families with children who have disabilities that they have to fend for themselves. We will reform these programs, but we will not abandon the fundamental commitment this country has kept for generations.”
The Center for Medicare Advocacy applauds the President for his work to preserve Medicare, Medicaid and the well-being of American families who are already struggling in today’s economy. We thank the President for recognizing that fiscal responsibility for the federal government does not mean eliminating programs like Medicare and Medicaid that work to provide access to health care for vulnerable populations. Nor does it mean saving federal dollars by shifting costs to states, families and taxpayers.
What a breath of fresh air!
Rationing Medicare & Health Care?
The budget released on April 5th by the House of Representatives purports to benefit Main Street Americans.
Once again we’re hearing proposals to “reform” Medicare and to cut the federal deficit. These plans are not about reform or even dedicated to deficit reduction. They are about a long held desire to do away with Medicare, shifting costs to American families who are already struggling.
Newt Gingrich said in the 1990s that he might not be able to eliminate Medicare, but he could watch it wither on the vine. This time, the House of Representatives’ Republican budget actually does eliminate Medicare, replacing it with vouchers to purchase private insurance.
This proposal is reckless and extreme. As with Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D, it will cost beneficiaries and taxpayers more than the traditional Medicare program. With a capped annual voucher to purchase insurance, Medicare beneficiaries will pay more out-of-pocket, get less coverage, and have less access to health care.
Sounds like rationing to us.
Health Care Reform: A Family Value – Support it!
While some work to repeal Health Care Reform, others are already benefiting from its provisions.
People who have already benefited from health reform are at both ends of the age spectrum. Young and old, they reflect the family value of the law, particularly given these tough economic times when jobs are lost, unavailable, and employers are increasingly dropping benefits.
Here are some stories the Center for Medicare Advocacy has heard in just the last day:
1. A Connecticut State Health Insurance and Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor writes: “I know a lot of our seniors will benefit from the government slowly getting rid of the Donut Hole in prescription drug coverage.” This is echoed by many others including:
• An older Connecticut woman and her niece, from Delaware, both went into the Donut Hole in 2010 and both received $250 as a result of health care reform to help out.
• A gentleman from Florida reached the Donut Hole in both 2009 and 2010, and expects to do so again in 2011. He appreciated the $250 help in 2010 and, given his heart and other health problems, he will certainly benefit from health reform’s 50% discount on Brand name drugs in 2011.
2. Another individual writes:
• “I have a sister who is 25 years old and was unable to find a job that would provide health care coverage due to the economy. She has very serious ear problems and required two major surgeries to replace her ear drum in both ears. If she was not able to be on our parents’ health insurance plan, she would not have been able to afford the surgeries and would have gone completely deaf. It is very difficult to be a young person out of college during these times. Even if you can find a job, it is very difficult to find a full time job with health benefits. I consider myself extremely lucky that I did find a job with benefits, but do know many who had no health insurance for some time. These young people need the cushion of being on their parents’ insurance until 26 when they can find a stable job with health benefits because in this economy, less and less employers are offering benefits to young people.”
The importance of health reform allowing young adults to obtain coverage on their parent’s health insurance plan is reiterated by another individual:
• “ I can personally speak for the kids 26 and under part of this. I have two kids under 26. One does not live at home. He is 22 and working at a job without health insurance. He would have no health insurance without being able to stay on my insurance. He was able to have an expensive blood test to find out if he has a potentially life threatening blood disorder because he had my health insurance to cover it.”
3. Four of the Center for Medicare Advocacy’s own employees have young adult children who have lost their jobs or are employed, but their employers do not provide health insurance. Again, these young people only have health insurance as a result of health care reform which allows them to be covered by the Center’s health insurance. At least one of these young adults has an on-going mix of mental health and medical problems that require on-going health care.
Health care reform is helping families struggling to deal with illnesses, age, unemployment, and underemployment. The law advances family values.
Center for Medicare Advocacy Co-Sponsors Tele-Town Hall With President Obama & Sec’y Sebelius
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2010
President Obama to Join Seniors for Tele-Town Hall Meeting on Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON—On Tuesday morning, June 8, President Barack Obama will participate in a national tele-town hall meeting at the Holiday Park Multipurpose Senior Center in Wheaton, Maryland with senior citizens to discuss the Affordable Care Act and efforts to combat senior scams and fraud in advance of the first mailing of the $250 “donut hole” rebate checks. In addition to attendees at the Senior Center, seniors across the country will be able to participate in the town hall meeting by phone. The President will be joined at the town hall meeting by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and representatives of the following organizations:
AARP
AFL-CIO
AFSCME Retirees
Alliance for Retired Americans
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
American Federation of Teachers Program on Retirement and Retirees
American Postal Workers Union Retirees Department
Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc.
Communications Workers of American Retiree Division
International Union of Painters & Allied Trades – IUPAT
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
National Association of State Units on Aging
National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs
National Association of State Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs
The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
National Council on Aging
NCCNHR – The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
OWL- The Voice of Midlife and Older Women
SEIU
Service and Advocacy for GLBT Elders
Workers United
These organizations – which together represent over 40 million seniors across the country — will be organizing satellite town hall meetings across the country to dial in and participate in the President’s event, which will be broadcast live on C-SPAN. A detailed list of meeting locations will be released in the coming days.
Politics Trump Health Care for People with Pre-Existing Conditions
The new health reform law encourages states to create or expand existing state high-risk pools as one of the first steps towards insurance market reform and increasing access to health care for people who would not otherwise be able to obtain health insurance. State high risk pools can provide insurance, for example, for people who are receiving Social Security disability benefits but who are in the 24-month waiting period for Medicare.
Citing objections to a “federal takeover” of health care, Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner, John Oxendine, has announced that Georgia will not establish a high-risk pool for its residents with pre-existing conditions. The irony is that the health reform law also provides for the establishment of a federal high risk pool for uninsured people with pre-existing conditions that live in states that don’t have their own risk pool. So, by deciding that Georgia won’t establish its own program, Commissioner Oxendine is guaranteeing a “federal takeover” of health care – Georgia residents who can’t otherwise get insurance will only have the option of insurance through a federal, not state, program.
VG/DC
Seize The Day!
The Center for Medicare Advocacy urges Congress to pass health care reform now. According to Judith Stein, the Center’s Executive Director “We are the closest we have ever been to fixing our unfair and ineffective health care system. We must seize this opportunity to pass health reform. The status quo is not an option; we simply can’t afford to put this off yet again.”
Ms. Stein stressed that health care reform will strengthen and improve guaranteed benefits in Medicare and protect the integrity of the Medicare program by extending the life of the Medicare Trust Fund. “More specifically, health care reform will improve the Medicare program for beneficiaries by slowing the growth of premiums and other out-of-pocket expenses, improving preventive benefits, and closing the gap in prescription drug coverage,” said Ms. Stein.
Moreover, the legislation promotes delivery system reforms to encourage high quality, coordinated health care. “Most of the Center’s clients have chronic conditions – as do nearly all Medicare beneficiaries. We know from experience that well coordinated care is critical to our clients’ well-being. The Center has been advocating about this issue for many years,” said Ms. Stein.
Ms. Stein stated that the Center for Medicare Advocacy strongly supports the goals of comprehensive health reform legislation, which expands coverage to millions of Americans, helps them purchase insurance, and ends discriminatory practices by insurance companies. “Everyone wins, including Medicare beneficiaries when all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care,” she said.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy urges Congress to pass health reform now. Passing this legislation will strengthen Medicare, bring a similar promise of health coverage to younger people, and increase the economic security of all Americans.
Judith Stein is available for comment and questions.
Help Haiti!
Now is one of those times to broaden our focus. Haitians need … everything. To gain quick access to many reputable organizations that are helping and need donations, go to http://www.rachelhulin.com/blog/2010/01/five-ways-to-help-haiti.html .
CMA Health Policy Blog 