Medicare Is Safe, But Supplementals Aren't
Editor, Times-Dispatch: All of us have heard ad nauseam from the president, his administration, and Democratic members of the House and Senate that no one will lose private insurance coverage under any of the proposed health care reform proposals. However, both the existing House and Senate versions would eliminate so-called Medicare Advantage coverage for seniors. Medicare Advantage policies are optional coverage that seniors can currently purchase to improve upon the woeful coverage provided by federal Medicare.
I have yet to hear or read where any member of Congress or the administration has addressed this issue publicly. They keep repeating the same mantra that no private coverage will be affected. Recently I corresponded by e-mail with both of Virginia's senators, Mark Warner and James Webb, asking specifically their stance on the Medicare Advantage issue. All I received in reply were canned letters on how important the whole issue of health care reform is to the country, with no reference to Medicare Advantage programs. When I wrote back asking for a meaningful response to my concerns, no further reply was forthcoming.
Directly related to this issue is the duplicitous action taken by the AARP in supporting the House version of health care legislation. AARP knows full well that Medicare Advantage will be eliminated and that federal Medicare coverage will also be severely reduced. When queried, no one from AARP would respond to this issue either. With its endorsement, AARP is betraying its constituents and exposing itself as the radical liberal organization it has become.
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