What Congress Must Do to Ensure That the Promise of Medicare Is Kept For Our Seniors
Mary Grealy, President and CEO of the Healthcare Leadership Council
(Washington D.C., Wednesday, April 26, 2017) – Medicare beneficiaries’ benefits, including access to their trusted physicians and needed services, face harsh and looming cuts unless Congress moves quickly to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board. As designed, the Board—commonly referred to as IPAB—is charged with making cuts to the program once Medicare spending hits an arbitrary level, which experts agree will happen in 2017, as early as this month.
Mary Grealy, President of the Healthcare Leadership Council, says members of both parties in Congress must work together to safeguard the healthcare of 55 million seniors who rely on Medicare.
SOUNDBITE #1:
IF IPAB IS TRIGGERED INTO EFFECT, IT WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT MEDICARE CUTS THAT WILL INEVITABLY AFFECT BENEFICIARIES’ ACCESS TO CARE. WE NEED A STRONGER MEDICARE PROGRAM, NOT ONE THAT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SENIORS TO FIND A DOCTOR OR GET THE TREATMENTS THEY NEED. CONGRESS CAN STOP THIS THREAT FROM HAPPENING, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE SOON.
SOUNDBITE #2:
SENIORS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES, VETERANS AND EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE CALLING FOR THE REPEAL OF THE INDEPENDENT PAYMENT ADVISORY BOARD. REPEAL MUST HAPPEN – AND SOON – IN ORDER TO PROTECT BENEFICIARIES FROM HARSH AND UNNECESSARY MEDICARE CUTS THAT WILL AFFECT THEIR ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE.
For more information visit ProtectMyDoctorAndMe.com.