AARP fighting for health reform: Learn more about how you would be affected

Moving swiftly to address a problem that Americans have been debating for decades, Congress is crafting far-reaching legislation this summer to reform the American health system.

To help Floridians of all generations understand how health reform would affect them, AARP is planning a series of Tele-Town Halls and other events to help you dig into the issues and learn more.

AARP is asking Congress to consider six important issues as it considers health reform:

• Guaranteeing access to affordable coverage for Americans age 50-64.
• Working to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole”.
• Creating a Medicare transition benefit to help people safely return to their homes after a hospital stay and prevent costly hospital readmissions.
• Increasing federal funding and eligibility for home and community based services through Medicaid so older Americans can remain in their homes and avoid more costly institutions as they age.
• Creating a pathway for the approval of generic versions of biologic drugs to reduce the price of these costly treatments.
• Improving the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS) so more Americans can afford the health care and prescription drugs they need.

Each part of AARP’s agenda would rein in the rapidly rising cost of health care, which is destroying families’ economic security and hobbling the nation’s economy. America spends twice as much, on average, on health care as the average developed nation, but U.S. health outcomes are frequently not as good as in other developed countries.

For example, 612,000 Floridians age 50 to 64 have no health coverage. Frequently, older Americans without coverage put off treatment for health conditions until they become eligible for Medicare at age 65. By then, the cost of treatment can skyrocket—and more important, older people’s health can suffer.

Costs are crushing families everywhere. Pensacola’s Oscar Atwell, 60, a computer expert, lost his job in October. His family now pays $1,800 a month for COBRA health coverage. But they’ve got to have the coverage—Atwell has been diagnosed with bladder cancer and must be treated. “I’m one of the lucky ones,” Atwell says. “I can pay for the insurance. But I’m jeopardizing my future by using my savings.”

Another example involves prescription-drug costs. Although Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit provides important assistance, more and more older Americans fall into Part D’s coverage gap, not-so-lovingly referred to by many as “the doughnut hole.” Once beneficiaries have reached a certain level of drug costs—which varies according to which plan you belong to—Part D coverage ceases until you reach $4,530 in drug costs. This is one reason why 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries’ income, on average, goes for health costs. While there are subsidies available for people of very modest means, many don’t qualify for help with drug costs.

“Too many low-income Americans are being forced into the doughnut hole because they did the right thing and saved a small nest egg for retirement,” said Lori Parham, AARP Florida’s state director.

AARP believes Congress should begin to close the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D. Options include changing how drug benefit costs are calculated or freezing the dollar limit of the doughnut hole at its current level.

To learn more about the details of this complicated issue, AARP is holding a series of health-reform forums and “Tele-Town Halls,” which allow you to participate in a meeting by telephone:

• 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. July 9, Tele-Town Hall.
• 1:30—2:30 p.m. Aug. 4, Tele-Town Hall.

In-person forums and opportunities to discuss these issues will be unfolding throughout the summer. Please check the events calendar on this site frequently for up-to-date details on opportunities near you.

To learn more about how to participate in the Tele-Town Halls, please e-mail AARP at FLAARP@aarp.org or call 1-866-595-7678. To learn more about AARP’s six top priorities for health reform, please go to www.healthactionnow.org.