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Latta: We Must Protect Medicare Advantage for America’s Seniors

Washington, February 23, 2014 | Sarah Criser (202-225-6405)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) today released the following statement expressing concern about the devastating impacts Obamacare is having on our seniors. Under the President’s signature law, more than $300 billion was cut from the Medicare Advantage program. In addition, a recent Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rule is threatening to dismantle the Medicare prescription drug program. Finally, CMS announced additional cuts to the Medicare Advantage program on Friday. 


"Obamacare has left our nation’s most vulnerable citizens with higher healthcare costs, decreased access to healthcare and the inability to keep the doctors they have and like,” said Congressman Latta. “This is in direct conflict with the very promises the law was sold on. Seniors throughout the country and in my home state of Ohio have come to rely on the benefits provided in the Medicare Advantage program, and President Obama must fulfill his promises to these seniors and take action to protect them from the harmful effects of his signature law and these CMS regulations.”

 

Medicare Advantage is an alternative to traditional Medicare that offers more than 15 million Americans and more than 700,000 Ohio seniors flexible, affordable healthcare coverage. It is an extremely important program for seniors living in rural areas.

 

The cuts to the Medicare Advantage program will force insurers to scale back benefits or withdraw their plans entirely from some markets. By 2017, it is expected that 7 million seniors and disabled Americans enrolled in the program will lose their coverage under Obamacare.

 

In December, Congressman Latta and Members of the Ohio Congressional delegation sent a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavener, expressing concern about the cuts to the Medicare Advantage program. The letter also requested further clarification as to how these cuts would be phased in and the impacts they would have Ohio’s seniors, especially their access to care.

 

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