Letter: Seniors are asking for Medicare Advantage. Congress should answer.

Originally published in the Daily Bulldog

The start of every legislative session is an important opportunity for Americans to express their support and gratitude for the federal programs that work for them. That way, our elected officials have an opportunity to listen to their constituents and actively look out for their best interests. One program that has seen bipartisan support in the past and should again this year is Medicare Advantage.

At Senior Planning Center, we work with seniors every day who tell us that Medicare Advantage not only gives them the care they need to live a healthy life but provides them lifesaving preventative care measures. That’s why Congress should continue to listen when we say this program really does save lives.

It makes sense that vulnerable population groups like seniors and people with disabilities want holistic health plans. Medicare Advantage not only offers a full range of traditional benefits at a low cost, but it offers supplemental and wellness benefits that allow enrollees to consider their overall mental, physical, and emotional health.

Medicare Advantage makes staying active easy for enrollees by providing covered gym memberships, SilverSneakers classes, and even tailored workouts and nutrition plans. Offering these benefits are both smart and innovative because fitness is a main factor in aging with less complications.

Working out does more than just provide a physical boost to seniors – it integrates them into the community, making them feel more confident in their own abilities. It’s also a good way to make friends. I can confidently say as someone who not only works for a company that serves seniors, but is heavily engaged with other organizations that support seniors, incorporating gym memberships into health plans is one of the best ways to build a healthy, connected community.

While it’s our job to create a network of seniors in Maine, Medicare Advantage plans have done a tremendous job in expanding and retaining its own network of seniors across the country. The program just reached over 30 million seniors and people with disabilities, and I’m sure it will continue to grow in the coming years. When almost half of the Medicare eligible population is electing for Medicare Advantage, it’s important that our federal government makes sure it stays available (or even expanded) to those who rely on it.

The word-of-mouth spreads quickly. Here in Maine, the seniors we work with are constantly recommending the health care program to friends, family, and former colleagues who are retiring. It’s hard to fathom anyone recommending a program to their friends and family if they didn’t think it could provide the care their loved ones deserve and need.

As the program expands in enrollment, Congress should make sure Medicare Advantage has the support it needs to continue to deliver affordable, high-quality care to its beneficiaries. Maine lawmakers have been extremely receptive and willing to support the program in the past, so I know their senior constituents can count on them in 2023.

Trisha Mosher
Senior Planning Center