Letter: Medicare Advantage

Originally published in the Virginian Pilot

Imagine running out of your house for a quick errand and not returning for two months.

A few years ago, I experienced a life-threatening medical emergency driving to the store and did not return home for more than two months.

Although I don’t remember all the details of my early days in the hospital, I do remember how worried I was about the medical bills that were sure to come. No one should feel anxious about going into bankruptcy or losing their lifetime savings while recuperating in the intensive care unit.

I’m a retired teacher and a longtime member of the Virginia Beach School Board. I don’t have expendable income for an extended hospital stay. Thankfully, my Medicare Advantage plan covered the many services I needed. I ended up paying a small fraction of a huge bill. I will forever be grateful for the care I received and the peace of mind that my Medicare Advantage plan brought.

Medicare Advantage is not only critical in supporting patients who face medical bills they weren’t budgeting for; it also keeps overall costs down. With inflation on the rise and all the uncertainty the past few years have brought, older adults are more grateful than ever to have a sense of stability for their health care and are happy that it will stay within their price range.

I am so grateful to Rep. Elaine Luria and Sen. Mark Warner for their continued support of Medicare Advantage, including signing on to House and Senate support letters and vowing to stand against any Medicare Advantage cuts.