Medicare Advantage program should be saved
Proposals being considered by Congress will result in cuts to Medicare in order to provide coverage for others.
Thousands of seniors and disabled people in Michigan are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. These plans provide medical and prescription drug coverage as well as other services not provided by Medicare, at low cost to the subscribers. In some rural areas of Michigan there is no monthly premium for coverage. Congress is considering ending the Medicare Advantage program in order to finance the health care reform legislation.
Ending Medicare Advantage would force seniors to pay the deductible and co-insurance expenses associated with Medicare. Many subscribers to Medicare Advantage plans are low income seniors and disabled people who are not eligible for Medicare. This is the exact segment of society who need our help the most. We must not allow Congress to cast aside our most vulnerable citizens. Medicare Advantage is a cost-effective program that provides essential service to millions of people nation wide and needs to be preserved. In the rush to pass something, do not let Congress trample the ones who need us the most.
Dan Blakemore Ann Arbor
Comments
Diagenes
Mon, Oct 12, 2009 : 7:19 p.m.
Some Medicare Advantage subscribers do pay an additional premium for their plan. Medicare Advantage plans offer more coverage than traditional Medicare. Advantage plans offer coverage for dental and vision care, as well as prescription drugs that are not offered by traditional Medicare. Instead of paying the 20% co-insurance for doctor services and lab fees, Advantage plan subscribers pay between $25-$35 per service. Millions of seniors nation wide enroll in Advantage plans because they want the additional benefits, and to save money on their medical expenses.
1bit
Mon, Oct 12, 2009 : 6:57 p.m.
Horsehockey - this is utter nonsense. Medicare is going broke. These "Advantage" programs cost more (15 billion in federal subsidies BEYOND Medicare reimbursement). Many seniors actually pay MORE for their care in the "Advantage" plans relative to standard Medicare. The crime is that seniors have been putting money into Medicare for all these years and now the insurance companies are ripping them off. The only true beneficiaries of these so-called "Advantage" plans are the insurance companies who are making a killing. These plans are not cost-effective and will hasten the death of Medicare.