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Health reform won’t kill Grandma

Posted by: Zoe Bendixen on Sep 08, 2009

Fear. Confusion. Misinformation. There's a lot of that right now when it comes to health care reform, and understandably so. The health care system is complex, but for many of us the system works. Just because it works for some, though, doesn't mean it can't be better.

The current health insurance reform legislation being considered by Congress aims to improve Medicare, not undermine it.

• Health care reform decreases out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries

Health care reform will eliminate or reduce the "doughnut hole" in Medicare drug benefits, in which drug costs are not covered after beneficiaries incur $2,700 in total drug costs. Drug coverage does not pick up again until beneficiaries spend an additional $3,454 out of their own pockets on top of their monthly premiums. It will also eliminate out-of-pocket costs for preventive care, such as cancer screenings.  These types of preventive care steps help us take our health care into our own hands.

• Health care reform improves access to your doctor

The bills do support quality improvement measures and better coordination among doctors, hospitals, and other providers that participate in Medicare. Having serious or chronic conditions, or even just getting older, often means multiple doctors. Doctors do not always talk to each other. They often end up duplicating their efforts by sending the same patient for the same procedure or test that a different doctor prescribed six weeks ago. Better coordination can mean better access and, ultimately, better care.

• Health care reform is NOT paid for by cuts to Medicare

None of the bills in Congress make cuts to Medicare benefits. Wasteful spending in areas such as overpayments to insurance companies will be reduced. Many physicians will receive increases in payments. Gaps in prescription drug coverage payments will be improved. Out-of-pocket costs for many seniors and people with disabilities will go down.

A new report issued by the Department Health and Human Services goes into even more detail about how health reform helps Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. Everyone has something to gain from health care reform. Even people with Medicare.