House bill (H.R. 2) makes critical improvements in Medicare.There are positive aspects of the bill including reforming physician payments and making the Qualifying Individual (QI) program for low-income beneficiaries permanent. However, there are negative aspects of the bill that forces people with Medicare to shoulder more than their fair share of the cost. Half of the $70 billion needed to pay for the bill would come from increases in Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket expenses. However, many people are concerned that the House legislation (H.R. 2) would place an unfair, disproportionate burden on people with Medicare by requiring them to shoulder half the cost for the bill through increases in their already high out-of-pocket health care expenses. By increasing the amount of out of pocket expenses, it decreases the ability to pay for other essential services that seniors, who want to age in place, will need.
Please support attempts to improve the bill for seniors and people with disabilities by reaching out to your congressmen to permit a vote on a modest, bipartisan amendment that could:
- Eliminate arbitrary restrictions on access to needed physical, occupational, and speech therapies
- Strengthen protections and outreach for poor, vulnerable beneficiaries with incomes below $18,000 and improve access to their doctors
- Extend expiring funding for community-based Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) that help families stay together at home and reduce premature nursing home placement
Join us in our support for these measures. Write your congressman and ask him/her to please vote FOR such a Medicare beneficiary amendment to make the bill more balanced and provide much-needed help to vulnerable and low-income seniors and people with disabilities.
You can find an easy to use form here.
