Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update

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Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 11:52 AM

Subject: (ra-factor) Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update

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*Asclepios**

**Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update*

*Moving in the Right Direction*

July 16, 2009 • Volume 9, Issue 28

Health reform legislation introduced in the House of Representatives this

past Tuesday will expand health care coverage to an estimated 97 percent of

all Americans.

People with Medicare will benefit from a number of provisions in the bill

that will increase their access to coverage, and help them better pay for

the high costs of health care. Some of these important changes include:

- The bill expands access to low-income programs for people with

Medicare. With this legislation, many additional people with low incomes

will be able to receive financial assistance to pay for their medical and

prescription drug costs and still keep a modest nest egg for their

retirement.

- This bill will eliminate the coverage gap or “doughnut hole” in

prescription drug coverage by phasing it out over 14 years. This will reduce

the number of older adults who skip doses or split pills when they must pay

the full price of drugs during the doughnut hole. The bill also incorporates

the agreement reached with brand-name drugmakers to provide a 50 percent

discount during the coverage gap.

- The bill increases Medicare payments to primary care doctors, improving

access to doctors who can help people with Medicare manage chronic

conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. This new structure will

also encourage doctors to form Accountable Care Organizations, which are

designed to improve quality care to patients, and to coordinate the medical

care patients receive.

We are still at the early stages of the legislative process. There is no

guarantee this bill will pass the House, and there is no guarantee that

legislation from the Senate Finance Committee will include the same Medicare

reforms. In particular, we need to let our senators know that their health

reform legislation must help low-income people with Medicare afford medical

care and must close the Part D doughnut hole.

*We need comprehensive health reform now.* Please write your senators and

representative and tell them to Remember People with

Medicare<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=dsJRK8OFIeLXJhJ & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m\

=ikLRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>when

they pass health reform.

*Medical Record*

*“The legislation is consistent with President Obama’s overall goals of

building on what works within the current health care system by

strengthening employer-provided care, while fixing what is broken. The bill

will ensure that 97 percent of Americans will be covered by a health care

plan that is both affordable and offers quality, standard benefits.”*

(Statement

from the House Ways and Means Committee on the introduction of America’s

Affordable Health Choices

Act<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=glLXLhMRLhK4LrI & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ikLR\

IdNWKpKaE & af=y>,

July 2009)

*“The financial burden of health care spending in 2003 was greater for

beneficiaries with low incomes than for those at higher income levels. That

year, the median beneficiary with income below 200 percent of poverty

($17,960 single and $24,240 couple) spent about 22 percent of income on

health care, while those at 400 percent of poverty or more spent less than 8

percent of their income on health care.”* (How Much ‘Skin In The Game’ Do

Medicare Beneficiaries

Have?<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=crKPJ5OBIeLOI6I & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ik\

LRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>

*Health Affairs*, 2007)

*“Both the House and Senate HELP Committee bills provide valuable new health

coverage options, including a public plan, to uninsured Americans that can

help people with disabilities who are stuck in the two-year waiting period

for Medicare. The House bill, in particular, will help more low-income

people with Medicare receive assistance with drug and medical bills, and

will allow them to keep a modest nest egg for their retirement.”* (Statement

by Medicare Rights Center President ph Baker on Recent Progress Toward

Passage of Health Reform

Legislation<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=fuIVKePNLhKVKgL & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJu\

G & m=ikLRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>,

July 2009)

* * * *

*Medicare Part D Appeals Help for Advocates Is Here!*

*Medicare Part D Appeals: An advocate's manual to navigating the Medicare

private drug plan appeals process* by the Medicare Rights Center offers an

easy-to-understand, comprehensive overview of the entire appeals process,

including real-life case examples, a glossary of important appeals terms, a

sample protocol for advocates, and links to important resources.

Download a FREE

copy<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=8dJHLTMlFaJIIWK & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ikL\

RIdNWKpKaE & af=y>of

this great resource.

* * * *

*The Louder Our Voice, the Stronger Our Message*

* * * *

*Asclepios*—named for the Greek and Roman god of medicine who, acclaimed for

his healing abilities, was at one point the most worshipped god in Greece—is

a weekly e-newsletter designed to keep you up-to-date with Medicare program

and policy issues, and advance advocacy strategies to address them. Please

help build awareness of key Medicare consumer issues by forwarding this

action alert to your friends and encouraging them to subscribe

today<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=bgLNI2NxHdIPK6J & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ik\

LRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>

..

* * * *

The *Medicare Rights Center* is a national, nonprofit consumer service

organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older

adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy,

educational programs and public policy initiatives.

Visit our online subscription form to sign up for *Asclepios* at

http://www.medicarerights.org/about-mrc/newsletter-signup.php<http://www.kintera\

..org/TR.asp?a=etITIbPJJgKWIgI & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ikLRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>

..

Get answers to your Medicare questions from Medicare Interactive at

http://www.medicareinteractive.org<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=hwKZJkMVIjJ3J\

qL & s=crITJ1MzEaJOL5MLJuG & m=ikLRIdNWKpKaE & af=y>

..