Search is Powered by Google
Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP News

AARP Calls Medicare Bill "Woefully Inadequate"

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 31 Dec 2007 - 0:00 PDT

email icon email to a friend   printer icon printer friendly   write icon view / write opinions   rate icon rate article
Current Article Ratings:

Patient / Public:3 and a half stars

3.2 (5 votes)

Health Professional:3 stars

3 (1 votes)

Article Opinions: 1 posts

As Congress approaches the end of the legislative year, AARP Director of Government Relations David Sloane issued the following statement on efforts to pass a package of Medicare improvements.

"Given the inability to find consensus on a broader Medicare improvement package, the short term package coming before the Senate this week is the path of least resistance and is woefully inadequate. Enactment of this legislation does little to protect millions of Medicare beneficiaries from higher monthly premiums and only temporarily averts the problems beneficiaries would face finding a physician if payment cuts take place.

"The American people deserve better. It is a shame that our elected officials will go home for the holidays without helping low-income beneficiaries get the care they need by strengthening programs directly targeted at the most vulnerable older Americans.

"It also is discouraging to millions of older Americans that the administration was unwilling to consider any reductions in the billions of dollars in excess payments to Medicare Advantage plans-particularly to private fee-for-service plans, which do not have to coordinate care and have been the subject of widespread marketing abuses-in order to help improve Medicare.

"As the 2008 debate returns to Medicare, AARP will again be pursuing policies that protect beneficiaries from excessive premiums and strengthen assistance for low-income individuals."

American Association of Retired Persons




Customized Homepage Weekly Newsletters Daily News Alerts
Home About Us News Licensing Free Website Feeds Free Tools & Content Links Tell a Friend Accessibility Help / FAQ Article Submission Contact Us
Psychiatry Urology
Bipolar Diabetes Schizophrenia

customize your homepage

medical news gadget

Add to Google


developers
website gadget code
website news code
medical news rss feed links


MedReader RSS Reader

customize your homepage


Saving Lives with the Help of Machines
Saving Lives with the Help of Machines

An automated external defibrillator - or A-E-D - places the technology of the emergency room into the hands of everyday people.

more videos are available in our health videos section.