With Medicare Advantage, I don’t have to worry

Health care coverage is a tough decision in retirement. It affects the care you receive, the costs you’ll face and the peace of mind you’ll experience. For these reasons, I’m glad that Connecticut seniors have Medicare Advantage and I hope Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro fights to keep the program strong.

I’m among the 19.8 million Medicare Advantage members nationwide. Medicare Advantage is comprehensive health insurance. With Medicare Advantage, I don’t have to worry about who is handling my claim — Medicare or a supplemental carrier. Everything is funneled through one provider, and I use one insurance card for everything.

There are other financial protections. My Medicare Advantage plan is free this year, and most other Medicare Advantage plans charge considerably less than supplemental plans. A prescription may cost just $5 in co-pays, or a trip to my primary care doctor only $10. More than one-third of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries get by on less than $20,000 per year. For them, low out-of-pocket costs are essential.

There are also free services available through Medicare Advantage that help me to take advantage of preventative health measures: Screenings for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, and other problems; flu shots, and other inoculations.

If serious problems arise, there are financial protections built into Medicare Advantage. Each plan caps annual expenses, so seniors will never face piles of medical bills. At a time when our elected leaders don’t seem to agree on much, they agree that Medicare Advantage must be preserved. They also value the role it plays in helping the most vulnerable elderly in our communities.

Over the last few years, a bipartisan majority of Congress has supported Medicare Advantage, preserving the program’s funding. I appreciate Congress supporting seniors’ right to choose the best healthcare option for them and I hope Rep. DeLauro will be a strong champion for Medicare Advantage.

— Joseph P. McDonagh Hamden

Community VOICES