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Boston, Massachusetts
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Boston, Massachusetts
United States
Nov 16 Blog: H1N1 UpdateACTION ALERT: The REAL Cost of Health Care
What is the Real Cost of Health Care?
AARP Massachusetts issued the following call to action on March 26, 2008.
As a consumer you know that your monthly insurance premiums don’t cover the entire cost of your health care. You dig into your wallet for a co-pay when you visit the doctor or pickup a prescription; you write a check when a deductible hits. It all adds up, and cuts into what you could be spending on food and a roof over your head. So, why are state officials defining “affordability” solely in terms of the amount of the premiums people pay?
Why is this important?
Last Thursday, the Health Connector board, which manages health care reform in Massachusetts, voted to change what’s called the “Affordability Schedule.” They voted to raise premiums by 10 percent. We believe that health care affordability includes more than just premiums, and this increase may put health care coverage out of reach for many.
AARP urges the state to change its definition of health care affordability to include: premiums, deductibles, co-payments and other cost-sharing.
Who does this affect?
An increase in health care premiums could especially hurt AARP members between the ages of 50-64, who are already paying higher premiums to purchase health care through the Health Connector because of their age – as well as people with lower incomes and chronic illnesses.
What can you do?
ACTION STEP:
Call Governor Patrick at (617) 725-4005 or toll-free in Massachusetts at 1-888-870-7770 and urge him to change the health care Affordability Schedule to include premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. Tell him we want to keep health care affordable in Massachusetts!
Please call Governor Patrick before April 11, when the Health Connector board takes its final vote on this important issue.
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Added: Mar 26, 2008
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