Scare Tactics

Asclepios -- Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update from the Medicare Rights Center -- July 30, 2009 • Volume 9, Issue 30 The opponents of health reform will say anything to stop it, no matter how untrue. The latest falsehood alleges that the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (HR 3200) would require older adults to obtain counseling “that will tell them how to end their life sooner,” in the words of Betsy McCaughey, an employee of the conservative Hudson Institute. Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, went a step further, implying that the House Democrats’ health reform bill would “put seniors in the position of being put to death by their government.” These falsehoods are designed to scare older adults and gin up opposition to health reform. In fact, HR 3200 provides Medicare coverage for a consultation with a doctor—not a government official—in which the patient can express her preferences regarding end-of-life care. The patient is not required to have this consultation, and there is no mandate for the patient to complete an advance directive (such as a living will) or forego aggressive treatment of a life-threatening illness. In fact, HR 3200 makes substantial improvements to Medicare. The bill would phase out the Part D “doughnut hole,” the built-in gap in Medicare drug coverage that requires older adults and people with disabilities to pay the full price for their prescriptions while still paying the premiums for the drug plan. Although it would take until 2023 to fully close the doughnut hole, people with Medicare will benefit immediately as the gap is narrowed with each passing year. The enhanced coverage is paid for by securing lower prices for prescription drugs covered under Medicare Part D. In addition, brand-name drugs for people who are in the doughnut hole would be subject to a mandatory 50 percent discount. The real threat to the lives of older adults and people with disabilities comes when they cannot afford to buy the medicines they need to treat a serious illness. That is happening right now when people enter the doughnut hole. Closing the doughnut hole is the right thing to do, and we need to pass health reform to make that happen. Please write your senators and representatives and tell them to Remember Medicare and pass health reform.