Letter: Medicare Advantage is Policy That Works

Originally published in Lootpress 

Having spent years as a legislator, I’m very familiar with what does and does not constitute good policy. And having dealt with many an issue in the health care space, I can say with a great deal of confidence there is no policy success quite like Medicare Advantage, which brings high-quality, affordable health care to 28 million seniors and individuals with disabilities across the country.

When I was searching for a health care plan to enroll in after my retirement, cost was one of my first considerations. Medicare Advantage really hit this one out of the park. With consistently low premiums, that are just $19 a month on average in 2022, enrollees don’t have to stress about carving out parts of their limited income to cover health care costs.

And, with a cap on out-of-pocket costs, even unexpected health procedures or treatments don’t cause me great concern. My prescription drug benefit also covers 100% of my medications, which is quite the relief when I take regular trips to the pharmacy.

While I am financially stable, Medicare Advantage is making a big difference for communities where individuals may suffer from financial challenges. Low-income communities who had to put their health on the back burner can now make living a healthy life their priority, thanks to the low all around costs of Medicare Advantage. I never expected I could access so many benefits, treatments, and services given the low monthly premium I pay.

Through my plan, however, I have access to benefits far beyond what you can access with original Medicare. I can use integrated vision, dental, and hearing benefits, join wellness programs, find low-price gym memberships, and access in-home caregiver support, companion care, and prescription drug and grocery delivery services. Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive, but it paints the picture of how Medicare Advantage is actively addressing the diverse range of needs seniors and individuals with disabilities have.

With all of these elements combined, Medicare Advantage provides predictable health care coverage. Knowing I will continue to have access to my doctors, the care benefits I need, and the costs will stay consistent has a tremendous impact on my peace of mind. If anything, the only thing that isn’t predictable is when our premiums drop even lower than the year before! And that’s one thing I don’t mind being surprised by.

I never thought I would be able to find such a well-rounded and robust health care program after I retired – but Medicare Advantage proved me wrong! And after so long working in policy, I am glad to see we still have programs that are doing everything right.

While I am just one person on Medicare Advantage, there are so many people, from all walks of life and backgrounds, who are benefitting from this incredible program. My hope is our legislators in Congress, including Senator Manchin and Senator Moore Capito, will continue the fight for good health care by advocating for West Virginia’s seniors and supporting Medicare Advantage.

Ron Walters is former House of Delegates member and he is and insurance agent.