Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

Happy Holidays

Alliance's Janice Ayres: Forget politics, we need health care reform now

The following is an opinion piece by Janice Ayres - Executive Director and CEO of Nevada Rural Counties RSVP Program - published in the Nevada Appeal this Saturday (December 19th). Ms. Ayres is pictured at right with Nevada Alliance President Scotty Watts.

In my 40 years of advocating for seniors to be afforded a better quality of life, never have I advised seniors to support legislation that wasn't in their best interest, and I am not starting now. However; as I stated in a previous column, let's leave politics out of the health care reform issue for just once, and be real Americans who want to do the right thing for our seniors and the other 46 million uninsured Americans.
 
I am amazed at the misinformation being spread. The insurance industry and their allies are spending millions of dollars in an attempt to mislead the public, and seniors in particular are being subjected to all kinds of scare tactics. Since space is limited here, I am only going to give you the important highlights of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
 
This act will reform our broken health care system by strengthening Medicare, cutting costs, protecting a patients' choice of their doctor, and ensuring quality, affordable care for all Americans. The legislation is fiscally responsible. It cuts the federal deficit by $130 billion in the first 10 years and by an estimated $650 billion in the second 10 years.
 
The bill is good for seniors because it strengthens Medicare and reduces the cost of prescription medications. In fact, AARP and the Alliance for Retired Americans have endorsed the bill, among many others. Despite the scare tactics of those defending the health care status quo, guaranteed Medicare benefits will not change one bit when the bill is passed. You can bet the farm on this!
 
Currently, 52,800 Nevada seniors hit the Medicare “doughnut hole.” The act will shrink the size of this gap while offering 50 percent discounts for brand-name drugs and biologics purchased by low- and middle-income beneficiaries in the coverage gap. The bill will strengthen Medicare by offering all of Nevada's 328,000 Medicare beneficiaries' free preventive services like mammograms and prostate cancer screenings.
 
The act also will hold insurance companies accountable by injecting much-needed competition into the health care marketplace to keep costs down while banning discrimination against the elderly, women and those with pre-existing conditions.
 
I was 14 years old when President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced Social Security and remember the death threats and terrible name calling, saying he was financially ruining America forever. Sound familiar? 
 
It's Christmas folks, Christ's birthday, and what better present than affordable insurance for all His children, not just the chosen few? God bless every one of you and have a great new year. 
 

Full article.

Profile in Courage: Fern Osborne

Fern Osborne, Executive Vice President of the Colorado Alliance since its founding, passed away this week.  Fern’s dedication to activism around senior issues and advocacy on behalf of her community is truly inspiring. 

In a 2007 news profile, she said about her tireless activism: "I'm working so that by the time you become my age, you won't have to go through this.”  News highlight here.

Colorado Alliance President Vivian Stovall said, “Fern has been the senior advocate here.  We thought that she would outlive all of us.”  Ms. Stovall added, “She is absolutely irreplaceable.” 

Monday, December 21st, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and the Colorado legislature will issue proclamations in honor of Fern Osborne, to be followed by a memorial reception with family and friends.

Photo courtesy NBC Channel 9 News

Did You Know…

The Alliance is a member of Seniors to Seniors, a coalition of senior citizen advocacy organizations committed to educating seniors about what the current health care reform legislation means for them once it is implemented. The coalition’s goal is to help filter through the clutter and hype to educate seniors about how health care reform will help keep doctors in Medicare, stop physician payment cuts, improve long-term care choices, keep Medicare affordable, and close the prescription drug “doughnut hole.” 

To learn more, go to http://seniorstoseniors.org.

Sign Up Now for the Alliance’s National Convention in Las Vegas

Mark your calendars for April 5-8, 2010 to attend the Alliance’s National Convention in Las Vegas, where we will kick off our grassroots efforts for the 2010 elections.  Details about the conference are posted on the Alliance’s home web page. To learn more, simply click on “2010 National Convention.”

Register for the convention directly from that page or by calling 1-888-373-6497.  We will have workshops and training sessions to strengthen our organizing and advocacy skills, and will hear from leading experts in public policy, health care and aging, and the media. 

Alliance members will elect a president and secretary-treasurer, and community members will elect six community-based board members.  Hotel reservations must be made by contacting Bally's Las Vegas directly at 1-800-358-8777. 

Retirees with the Write Stuff

“Retirees with the Write Stuff” is an Alliance project recognizing retirees whose letters to the editor are published.  Most recently, Graham Dewsbury, Mary Elia, Gary Gaines, Norman Kaiser, John Mendolusky, Catherine Porter, Martin Walsh, and Norm Wernet contributed to their state and local papers. 

If you have had a letter published recently, please send us an email at letters@retiredamericans.org so that we can recognize you and send you a “Write Stuff” pen.  Also, New Hampshire Alliance President Charles Balban described the benefits of health reform to retirees in a notable Nashua Telegraph op-ed.

No Medicare Buy-in for Those 55-64, Update on Drug Reimportation Amendment

A week ago, a compromise Senate deal on health reform nixed a public insurance option and replaced it with provisions letting those 55 or older buy into Medicare and allowing nationwide nonprofit private plans overseen by the federal Office of Personnel Management.  Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), who opposes the public option, seemed to be in agreement.  By last Sunday, however, Lieberman had changed his mind.  According to The Boston Globe, the Medicare buy-in became as objectionable to him as the public option.  His explanation for the flip-flop is that expanding Medicare would add to the federal deficit, but he came to this conclusion before the Congressional Budget Office had done its analysis.  Senate Democratic leaders have now laid out an ambitious timetable for passing the health care bill on Christmas Eve.  To be successful, the plan assumes Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will have three key elements before the weekend: the bill's cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office; the legislation completely written and available to the public; and assurance from all 60 members of his caucus that they will vote for the package.  “There will be good things for seniors in the Senate bill.  However, the House bill is far superior, and we will work tirelessly to include specific pieces from the House, like the public option, and to exclude the Senate’s excise tax on higher-cost insurance plans, when the bill gets to conference committee,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.  She continued, “The Senate bill includes some relief for plans with early retirees as well as delivery system reforms that may lead to lower costs in the long run.  And Senate leaders have made a commitment to close the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole, which is so important to seniors.  The Alliance continues to insist that employers pay their fair share, and that genuine health care reform must bring down health costs, hold insurance companies accountable, and assure that Americans can get the health care they need.”

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted against an amendment to loosen prescription drug importation rules as part of the health care bill.  The measure had been sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).  However, it fell short of the 60 votes needed for approval – the final tally was 51 in favor, 48 opposed.  Click on here for the complete results of the vote.  Dorgan criticized an alternative amendment, sponsored by senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both New Jersey Democrats, and Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), as inadequate, because it would only allow the importation of drugs if the federal government’s health secretary certified they were safe and lowered costs.  This amendment also fell short of the 60 votes needed for approval; the vote was 56 in favor, 43 opposed.  Those results are available here.  Since last Friday, Alliance members had sent more than 3500 letters to all Senators urging them to vote in favor of the Dorgan-Snowe amendment. 

Member Gary Brown's health care story

Gary Brown is an Alliance for Retired Americans member in Iowa. He worked for a packaging manufacturer in California for many years before moving back to Iowa where he now resides with family.

Brown, like many seniors, manages a number of health issues. He became disabled 9 years ago. He has been hypo-tensive for many years and diabetic for 35 years. He is insulin-dependent and experienced kidney 9 years ago. This October (2009), he had his second below-the-knee amputation. From his room at the rehabilitation hospital, he reached out to his elected representatives to convey his strong support for health insurance reform this year that includes a public option.

Medicare is Browns primary source of income and primary medical coverage. He also has secondary health coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Brown also uses Medicare's prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D). He is grateful for the coverage and care that he receives, but says he and other seniors and disabled people cannot always afford their prescription drugs. That goes for life both in and out of the "donut hole," although life in the donut hole is considerably more challenging.

Brown said:

I am on about 12 medications on a monthly basis in addition to diabetic supplies, and that can be very expensive. Some of those medications exceed $100/month. So for someone who is dependent on Medicare for their entire income, it can be quite difficult.

In fact, for many seniors and disabled people, they have to make a choice between paying the bills, paying their rent and eating which is very unfortunate. I happen to be fortunate to have family members who participate in my care and in the amount of money that I have to pay my bills, and quite frankly to eat.

Last year, Brown fell into the Medicare Part D prescription drug "donut hole" in the beginning of Sept and paid for all of his prescription drugs for rest of year. He is currently in the donut hole again.

Like most Americans, Gary Brown is concerned about the out-of-control, indeed skyrocketing, costs of health care and health insurance. Brown said,"I'm on one Medication that costs $800 per month. In pill form, that very same medication is $3800 per month

." He continued, "Why are there no controls on what the insurance companies and the medical providers and the hospitals can charge? We walk in there and we need help. Many people live below the poverty line and simply cant afford it."

For Brown, health insurance reform with a public option is absolutely necessary. He said, "We need an affordable national public option."

Gary Brown supports a national public option:

On the donut hole:

More on Gary Brown:

If Reform Fails: Health Care, Jobs & Unions

Andrew Barbano is an Alliance member in Nevada and member of the Communications Workers
of America (CWA) Local 9413. On December 6, he moderated a discussion on health care reform live on three Reno-Sparks-Washoe community tv channels.

Panelists included Paul McKenzie, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada/AFL-CIO; Rudy Viola, President of United Auto Workers Local 2162/AFL-CIO; Larry Matheis, Executive Director of the Nevada State Medical Association; and Linda Costa, Chief Operating Officer of HAWC Community Health Center, which provides affordable care to an increasing caseload of the uninsured.

Paul McKenzie, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Northern NV Building Trades said, "I've always had health insurance," and noted it might seem strange that he would support health reform since he has health care coverage. With regards to his trade, he said, "All of our members have health insurance when they're working. The problem is that 50% of our construction trades workers are unemployed. ... It isn't that they quit needing health care. It's that they quit having the ability to pay for health care. And when they can't pay for health care, you and I have to pay for it" in the form of increased premiums in our insurance and higher rates for medical care.

McKenzie said:

"If we don't fix health care, this spiral is going to continue - it's going to get worse and it's going to be the downfall of this great country."

"With the cost of it being at the level it is right now, it's an unmanageable burden."

Rudy Viola UAW Local 2162 President in Reno said, "I'm in favor of a public option with our national plan. It seems the best way to go because there are a lot of corporations out there that are not playing by the rules and other companies have to pick up the slack." He added, "You're paying for it [everybody to have health care] no matter what you do - it's better to come up with a program that covers everyone and where everyone is playing by those rules."

Larry Matheis, Executive Director of the Nevada State Medical Association addressed the main question of the program: "If the question is what happens if health care reform fails, the answer is: A failing system that's failing too many people too often will fail more people more often."

Matheis pointed out national health care problems exemplified in Nevada. He said that Nevada ranks 49th in most physician categories; and their emergency rooms are constantly strained. Despite having more women per capita using hospitals to deliver their babies, Nevada has the lowest rate of prenatal care for the first trimester - which exponentially increases health care costs required in the first couple years of those babies' lives.

Matheis wrapped up:

"We want to answer a question that we've been unable to answer - and alone among all the industrialized nations: How are we going to provide coverage for health care that people need and use? The system is largely now not patchable. It needs basic structural changes. We all know it. They know it in Washington. The question is whether we can have the resolve to make the system work reasonably and better."

Watch here.

Allow Safe Reimportation of Rx Drugs

The U.S. Senate may vote as soon as Monday, December 14 to allow the safe reimportation of drugs from other industrialized countries.  Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) have introduced an amendment to the Senate health care legislation to allow safe drug reimportation.

Americans pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world, five times more to fill their prescriptions than consumers in other countries such as Canada.  Retirees and older Americans are particularly hard hit by high drug costs because they have more acute and chronic illnesses.  In addition to consumer savings, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Dorgan-Snowe Amendment would also save the government about $19 billion over 10 years.  This is a win for retirees and all taxpayers.

For several years, the Alliance sponsored bus trips to Canada for seniors who are forced to make the trips to purchase prescriptions that costs hundreds of dollars less than in the United States. [Rx Express bus tour press conferences pictured at right]  However, bus trips are not a solution.  The Dorgan-Snowe Amendment, with rigid safeguards to ensure quality control, is a necessary measure to reduce ever-increasing prescription drug costs. 

***Please click here to send an email to your U. S. senators today and urge them to vote for the Dorgan-Snowe drug reimportation amendment.***