Letter: Protect Seniors’ Health Care, Uphold Medicare Advantage

Originally published in the Las Vegas Sun

In Las Vegas and across the country, our communities have dealt with considerable setbacks in the last year. And while we are lucky to have advocates in the House and Senate who are committed to protecting the health and safety of Nevadans, I still worry about potential changes to my and my constituents’ health care.

My job as a Las Vegas city councilman is to listen to my constituents and to highlight legislative efforts and programs that can improve the lives of our community members, including our community’s seniors. One of those programs is Medicare Advantage, which has had significant positive impacts on the health outcomes of Nevada seniors.

With a number of legislative proposals being considered in Congress, my hope is that our legislators will continue to put the needs of vulnerable communities first. That means protecting Medicare Advantage – no program that does so much to protect the health of seniors should be threatened as a potential pay-for for other initiatives.

Nearly 27 million Americans nationwide choose to enroll in Medicare Advantage because it delivers top-quality services, better access to care, and better value. Medicare Advantage delivers affordable coverage by reducing Medicare’s cost sharing and offering benefits that traditional Medicare doesn’t cover, like integrated vision, hearing and dental benefits, a cap on out-of-pocket costs, wellness programs, in-home caregiver support and innovative telehealth options.

Giving Medicare beneficiaries the ability to choose the plans and care that works best for them is the reason that 94% of seniors are satisfied with their Medicare Advantage plan. As an elected official, I know that we should be doing everything in our power to protect this program, especially as the pandemic charges on.

During the height of the pandemic, Medicare Advantage met the concerns of their patients when they needed it most. By offering online doctors’ visits and telehealth services, Medicare Advantage helped to ensure high-risk communities had access to the medicines and treatments they relied on throughout the pandemic.

Health care is not one size fits all, and Medicare Advantage was crafted with that in mind. With a diverse array of care options, every person can access an individualized plan.

If Congress were to make cuts to this program, the number of plans seniors can access could become limited, risking some of the personalized care they have developed with their doctors and potentially increasing their copays. If copays become too high, seniors living on a fixed income may not be able to afford certain prescriptions or treatments.

Medicare Advantage has long had strong bipartisan support because it is a prime example of the government and free market working together to lower costs, offer consumers more choices and to create better outcomes for patients. This program consistently delivers results seniors want at prices they can afford.

I believe that Medicare Advantage makes all the difference for helping seniors achieve better health. I urge Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, and Nevada Reps. Susie Lee and Steven Horsford to continue advocating for this program and push back against potential cuts. The health of our seniors could be on the line.

Stavros Anthony has been a Las Vegas city councilman since 2009, when he was first elected to serve Ward 4.