Coalition Members Meet Virtually with the Office of Senator Merkley

Ten members of the Coalition for Medicare Choices (CMC) recently met with the office of Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), during which they discussed how Medicare Advantage provides better services, better access to care, and better value to seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Coalition member James enrolled in Medicare Advantage after suffering an accident that left him partially paralyzed. He said, “I’ve compared a lot of features of original Medicare and even plans I had before my injury, and there are real savings with Medicare Advantage.” He also noted that care is more streamlined with Medicare Advantage.

Carol, another Coalition member, cares for her brother who is deaf and has Down syndrome. Her brother also suffers from dental issues and a seizure disorder. Carol and her siblings chose Medicare Advantage for their brother because of the coordinated care it provides, including providing his primary physician with easy access to all his medical records.

Steve and Karen have been on Medicare Advantage for 15 years and they appreciate how simple and integrated the program is. Steve recently broke his hand and was worried about the costs, but his Medicare Advantage kept everything affordable. When Karen broke a veneer while away from home, her Medicare Advantage plan easily located an in-network dentist.

Judy, another Coalition member, appreciates her Medicare Advantage plan because it saves her money. When she picked up a prescription recently, she saved hundreds of dollars thanks to her Medicare Advantage coverage.

Pete, who is a doctor and Coalition member, has been on Medicare Advantage for just over a year and said he is impressed with the coverage and range of benefits he has been able to access so far.

Coalition member Rosie suffered a torn meniscus in 2019 and needed surgery and physical therapy. She was also diagnosed with celiac disease and had to schedule many appointments and tests. Rosie said her Medicare Advantage plan has been outstanding through everything, keeping her co-pays reasonable. She said she loves the telehealth access and affordability of the services she needs.

Ray, another Coalition member, said he is grateful for the integrated hearing and vision benefits included in his plan. He used to get hearing aids from Costco, but now he can visit the audiologist for higher-quality products at a fraction of the cost. Over the last few years, Ray said he has saved a lot of money with Medicare Advantage.

Roger and Lynn signed up for Medicare Advantage as soon as they were eligible and have been happy with the program. When Lynn had an emergency hospitalization, Medicare Advantage was helpful in getting her the care and follow-up she needed. Roger said he appreciates that his coverage provides him with hearing aids.

Senator Merkley’s staff member closed the meeting by saying, “I just wanted to note that the renewal letter that was referenced earlier had the support of 63 Senators, and it’s no surprise to this group that it’s rare that any issue gets that many votes in the Senate. It speaks to the strong support of Medicare Advantage in the Senate and complimented by strong support in the House as well.”

The CMC is grateful to the office of Senator Merkley for meeting with our Coalition members and for his support of Medicare Advantage.