Coalition Members Virtually Meet with Senator Ron Johnson’s Staff 

5 members of the Coalition for Medicare Choices recently met with staff from Senator Ron Johnson’s office. They shared how their Medicare Advantage keeps them healthy and deliver peace of mind during the COVID-19 crisis.

Our Coalition member Marian kicked off the conversation by sharing the positive experience that she and her husband have had with Medicare Advantage for about 5 years. She highlighted that all of her health care services are covered under 1 plan, which caps her out-of-pocket costs.

Marian also shared how Medicare Advantage supported her husband during the COVID-19 crisis. Marian’s husband had a procedure last year and used telehealth services to follow up with his specialist. Having access to stable telehealth services meant that they did not have to go back into the specialist’s office during the COVID-19 crisis, keeping them safe at home. She closed off by speaking about seniors who don’t have the same access to the internet that she and her husband have, and thus rely on the phone to speak to their doctors, and urged Senator Johnson to take care of these seniors by co-sponsoring the Ensuring Parity in MA for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (S. 150). 

Another Coalition member Arlene shared that she switched to Medicare Advantage after finding out that the program would allow her to keep the same doctors, have a low premium, and capped her out–of–pocket expenses. She echoed Marian’s comments about the importance of telehealth services, sharing that her Medicare Advantage plan allowed her to talk to her doctor during the COVID-19 crisis as well. Arlene has diabetes and she appreciated that she was able to manage her health condition while self-distancing at home. 

Lastly, our Coalition member Alice shared that at 90 years old, she’s in relatively good health. She told the group that she understands the importance of audio-only telehealth because she spoke to her doctors over the phone during the COVID-19 crisis for her regular preventative checkups. Echoing Marian, she urged Senator Johnson to co-sponsor the Ensuring Parity in MA for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (S. 150), ensuring Americans 65+ continue to have access to essential health care services like audio-only telehealth. 

Coalition members Pat and Bill shared with the group that their Medicare Advantage plans have brought them peace of mind. Pat explained that she’s had a number of medical procedures, and knows that she wouldn’t have been able to access the level of care she’s had if she wasn’t on Medicare Advantage.  

The Coalition for Medicare Choices (CMC) is grateful to Senator Johnson’s office for meeting with our Coalition members and hearing why they support Medicare Advantage.