Politics

Benefits of Health Insurance Reform to Seniors

By Karina

Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi, Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Jan Schakowsky, Doris Matsui and Charlie Wilson held a press conference following a meeting with advocates for seniors:

The advocates included Bonnie Cramer of AARP, Patricia “Trish” Nemore of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Ed Coyle of the Alliance for Retired Americans, Larry Minnix of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, the Medicare Rights Center, AFSCME Retirees, National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, American Federation of Teachers Program on Retirement and Retirees, Easter Seals, and others. Trish talked about how health insurance will strengthen, not weaken as some opponents claim, Medicare:

My name is Trish Nemore. I?m a senior policy attorney with the Center for Medicare Advocacy. I?m here today on behalf of my boss Judy Stein who is not able to be here. I also happen to be a Medicare beneficiary and I?m the parent of a 27 year old son who has no health insurance. So I have many reasons to support this bill ? both professionally and personally.

Since 1985, the Center has each year helped thousands of Medicare beneficiaries get access to the services they need through Medicare. We know from our clients how important Medicare is to them and the peace of mind that the programs? existence brings to their families. That their parents have health coverage allows adult children to focus on other priorities in their families, such as educating their children.

One of our priorities at the Center is to promote the continued existence of a strong Medicare program ? both for current and future beneficiaries. We believe that health reform legislation advances this goal by strengthening Medicare?s guaranteed benefits and by extending the life of the trust fund.

Because the legislation produces savings from Medicare, some people believe that that means benefits will be cut and the program will be weakened. President Obama addressed this very issue in this comments yesterday in Ohio. The opposite is true ? not a single guaranteed benefit in Medicare is touched by any of the health reform legislation that?s being moved through Congress right now. And in fact, benefits are improved. Reducing payments to private plans means that beneficiaries and taxpayers are no longer subsidizing a few variable benefits that can change from year to year for a portion of the Medicare population at the expense of the entire Medicare population. Provisions in the legislation will slow the growth of Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs, improve access to preventive benefits, by eliminating cost-sharing and reducing cost-sharing for them, and starting to close to the gap in the donut hole that other speakers have referred to.

The legislation also promotes delivery system reforms to encourage high-quality coordinated health care. Most of our clients have chronic conditions. In fact, nearly all Medicare beneficiaries have chronic conditions. We know, from our experience, that well-coordinated care is critical to our client?s well-being. We?ve been advocating on this issue for many years. Other provisions in the bill will include access to long-term supports and services through the CLASS Act and through improvements in Medicaid that allow for people to stay at home to get their long-term care. And will expand Medicaid coverage, to among other people, those people who can?t get Medicare because they?re in the waiting period for people with disabilities before they?re able to get access to Medicare benefits.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy urges Congress to pass health care reform now. The legislation will strengthen Medicare, realize the promise for health coverage for younger people, and increase the economic security of all Americans. It is a matter of fundamental fairness.

Watch video highlights of the press conference:

Read Speaker Pelosi’s full remarks»

Full post as published by The Gavel on March 17, 2010 (boomark / email).