Coalition Members Meet Virtually with the Office of Senator Kaine

Three members of the Coalition for Medicare Choices (CMC) recently met virtually with the office of Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to discuss the better service, better access to care, and better value Medicare Advantage delivers.

Coalition member Barbara shared her experience working for an electronic health company where she learned about various insurance plans. She knew she wanted to enroll in Medicare Advantage when she retired. “We have no monthly payments,” she said. “Many seniors would go without needed services if they did not have the low co-pays and fees from Medicare Advantage.”

Barbara went on to highlight her satisfaction with the preventive care coverage and case management support. “I have a call with my case manager every month. Having access to real people is fantastic,” she said.

Richmond City Council member and CMC advocate Stephanie addressed the importance of benefits for seniors and how crucial Medicare Advantage is in providing quality services. “I have 5 public housing facilities in my district, all with a significant Medicare Advantage population. Medicare Advantage is invaluable to them,” Stephanie said. “As a social worker and now as a Councilwoman, I have seen the power of what Medicare Advantage can do for people.”

Coalition member Dottie explained that when she had a major medical emergency, Medicare Advantage was crucial. “Imagine leaving your house for a quick errand to the store and not coming back for months. That happened to me a few years ago. I had a medical emergency while driving and returned home over 6 months later,” Dottie shared, noting that the incident was so serious she was given Last Rites. “I was very pleased with my Medicare Advantage coverage of all the many services needed after my emergency. I paid only a small fraction of the very large bill.”

Senator Kaine’s staff member thanked the participants for their stories. She said, “I am very familiar with Medicare Advantage, especially the annual fee discussion. I think two things really protect the program: it’s very popular and people like choices. Both of those are evident from our discussion today.” She added that she would relay the seniors’ stories to Senator Kaine.

The CMC is grateful to the office of Senator Kaine for meeting with our seniors.