Letter: If It Ain’t Broke: Medicare Version

Originally published in the Peach Pundit

As the old adage goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” A recent survey found that 94 percent of senior voters with Medicare Advantage are satisfied with their coverage, compared to 87 percent who are satisfied with original Medicare. That is why it is so concerning that some in Washington want to cut a program that is a highly favored choice among many American seniors.

Medicare Advantage provides better quality of care because it covers additional benefits like vision, hearing, and dental benefits, a cap on out-of-pocket costs, wellness programs, in-home caregiver support, innovative telehealth options, and, often, even prescriptions, which can be a life saving measure as drug costs continue to rise.

Medicare Advantage provides peace of mind to important segments of our population that are traditionally overlooked. Nearly half of all racial/ethnic minorities eligible for Medicare choose Medicare Advantage, which is important to a racially and ethnically diverse state like Georgia. Medicare Advantage delivers better access to care for millions of diverse enrollees and communities.

More than 30 million senior Americans use Medicare Advantage for their health care needs. In Georgia, over 850,000 – nearly half of our Medicare-eligible seniors – select Medicare Advantage as their choice for comprehensive medical coverage. In other words, Medicare Advantage is important to a whole lot of us in the Peach State.

About 40 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees make less than $25,000 per year. Most of these seniors live on a fixed income. As inflation continues to rise, a cut in Medicare Advantage payments and funding is something many of us just can’t afford.