As long as 💲💲💲 are no problem everything is a good idea

The following is from a decidedly left leaning group. Despite their suggestions being unrealistic with no mention of paying for them, the pressure is building for changes in Medicare Advantage Plans.

March 7, 2024

Dear Medicare advocate,

This winter, we asked you to raise your voices in support of the public Medicare program, and we were blown away by the response! Medicare supporters like you sent thousands of emails, made countless calls to Congress, and sat down to meet with your representatives and senators—and your advocacy made a huge difference.

Over the past week, Medicare champions in the U.S. House and Senate sent a pair of letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) demanding a crackdown on delays, denials, and rampant overcharging of taxpayers by so-called “Medicare Advantage” plans. These letters were signed by 60 representatives and 10 senators, and your advocacy was crucial in getting members of Congress to sign on.

These recent pro-Medicare letters were circulated by Sens. Warren and Brown, and by Reps. Jayapal, DeLauro, and Schakowsky. They stood in contrast to a pair of industry-friendly letters that circulated earlier this winter, and called for a series of important reforms: 

• 🤨 Removing barriers to medical care such as pre-authorization requirements and limited provider networks; 
• 🥵 Reining in rampant overcharging of taxpayers by Medicare Advantage plans (our recent report estimated excessive payments of up to $140 billion per year); and 
• 🤔 Improving the traditional Medicare program by reducing premiums and out of-pocket costs, and by adding benefits like dental, hearing, and vision. 

I’m encouraged to see that policymakers are hearing our message loud and clear: Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, and we won’t stand idly by as corporate health insurers compromise our health for the sake of their profits. 

Phil Verhoef, M.D., Ph.D.
President 

Physicians for a National Health Program
29 E Madison St Ste 1412 | Chicago, Illinois 60602