WASHINGTON, July 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alabama seniors enrolled
in Medicare Advantage face significant funding cuts under legislation
currently being considered in the U.S. Senate, according to data released
by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).
As Congress considers ways to halt the impending cut to physician
payments in Medicare, many are looking at the Medicare Advantage program to
pay for the fix. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on legislation today
(H.R. 6331) that would cut $96 million from the Medicare Advantage program
in Alabama alone over a five year period and severely cut back the areas
where Medicare private fee-for-service plans can operate, adversely
impacting the 20,000 Alabama seniors enrolled in these plans.
"Congress should fix the physician payment cut without forcing seniors
to pay for it," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "Seniors
enrolled in Medicare Advantage could face limited choices, reduced
benefits, and higher out-of-pocket costs if these cuts became law."
Nearly 150,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama currently rely on
Medicare Advantage to meet their health care needs. These plans offer
additional benefits and services that are not available in traditional
Medicare, including reduced out-of-pocket costs; $0-premium comprehensive
drug coverage; vision, hearing, and dental coverage; wellness programs; and
disease management and care coordination programs. Medicare Advantage
enrollees save an average of $90 per month - through improved benefits and
lower out-of-pocket costs - compared to what they would pay in traditional
Medicare.
A recent survey found that most seniors, including those in traditional
Medicare, opposed cutting Medicare Advantage to fund the physician fix and
believe these cuts would have a negative impact on Medicare Advantage
beneficiaries. Click here to learn more about this survey:
http://www.ahip.org/content/pressrelease.aspx?docid=23678.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that H.R. 6331 would
decrease enrollment in Medicare Advantage across the country by about 2.3
million individuals over the next five years. The full report is available
here: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/95xx/doc9550/hr6331GreggLtr.pdf.
America's Health Insurance Plans - Providing Health Benefits to More
Than 200 Million Americans
SOURCE America's Health Insurance Plans
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Related links:
http://www.ahip.org
CONTACT:
Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health
Insurance Plans, +1-202-778-8493
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