CMC MAGAZINE THE HILL
hear regularly from seniors in my district about
how Medicare Advantage provides choices when
it comes to their healthcare. We’ve held nearly
150 town hall meetings in my district, including a
recent roundtable in partnership with the Coalition
for Medicare Choices. At each of these events, I
have heard about seniors losing the quality care,
affordable plans, and added benefits Medicare
Advantage offers. In New York state, roughly 35
percent of Medicare beneficiaries opt into Medicare
Advantage – that’s 1.1 million New York seniors and
individuals with disabilities. More than 60,000 seniors in my district opt into
the program.
Studies show that Medicare Advantage can be more effective than
traditional Medicare, especially for individuals with disabilities, chronic
conditions and those living in rural areas. Medicare Advantage reduces
hospitalizations by over twenty percent, decreases emergency room visits by
twenty to thirty percent and lowers readmission rates from thirteen to twenty
percent – all while decreasing individuals’ health care costs by thousands of
dollars each year.
Equally important, Medicare Advantage gives seniors options and choices
and protects access to care. Unfortunately , the health care reform law cut
billions from Medicare Advantage, limiting choices of doctors and health
care options for seniors and families that rely on them.
Fifteen million Americans made the decision to opt into Medicare
Advantage. They deserve the freedom and flexibility to choose which plan
works for them. It’s only fair to care for our seniors by protecting the health
care options which are working well from the negative impacts that the
health care law is having on choices and access to healthcare.
U.S. Rep. Tom Reed
Congressman Tom Reed represents New York’s 23rd
Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives
www.medicarechoices.org
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