Legislation and Current Issues
Questions Before Selecting
a Medicare Advantage Plan
With the passage of the Medicare legislation that created the Part D Drug plan, seniors were also given an option to opt out of the standard Medicare coverage and purchase what is known as a Medicare Advantage Plan. Some Advantage Plans also include prescription drug coverage (MA-PD).
The premise was that the Advantage Plans would allow individuals to select a plan that meets their individual needs. The reality, however, is the Advantage plans served more to boost the profits on insurance companies rather than meeting individual needs of beneficiaries.
Now that the Advantage Plans have been in existence for a few years, it is evident that they can create a real problem for those seniors considering coverage. As with any insurance policy, there are many questions that should be directed at the sales representative before signign on the bottom line. For a "starter list" of applicable questions, click here.
Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans
Supports Healthy Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans (WIARA), on June 25, 2007, endorsed the Healthy Wisconsin Plan which will be a part of the deliberations before the Wisconsin Legislature. The WIARA, a non-profit organization representing over 87,000
Wisconsin retirees, is dedicated to protecting and improving the economic and health security of retirees, other older Americans, and working families in our state. The 25 Board members of the WIARA unanimously endorsed the plan. The plan, introduced by a number of Democratic State Senators will, for the first time, guarantee that all Wisconsinites have access to the same quality health care insurance our state legislators have had for years. Healthy
Wisconsin will guarantee a choice of high quality public and private health plans in every region of the state. WIARA President Leon Burzynski said, “We believe that universal, comprehensive health care reform should be a top priority during this budget session. Healthy
Wisconsin will guarantee that people get the affordable quality care they deserve and have paid for.”
Healthy
Wisconsin preserves what is good about the current health care system while making it affordable for all Wisconsinites. The plan preserves our state-of-the-art health care system, while making it accessible to everyone by lowering costs, and guaranteeing access and choice. People who are satisfied with their family doctors and other medical providers will be able to continue those relationships. “As retirees, we want to make sure that future generations will be guaranteed universal health insurance that is comprehensive, affordable, covers improved medical services, and contains and reduces medical costs in an efficient way,” remarked Burzynski. “All
Wisconsin residents should have a health insurance plan as good as the members of the Wisconsin Legislature.”
President Burzynski finally said, “Our hope is that the Healthy Wisconsin plan will make future Medicare Supplement plans more affordable for retirees and other seniors in
Wisconsin . This will make the
Wisconsin health care system more efficient so costs for Medicare Supplement plans can be reduced.” Due to indifference on the part of a select group of legislators who controlled the Wisconsin Assembly, the Healthy Wisconsin Plan was not considered by that body during the legislative session. Since the issue of universal, affordable healthcare has remained near the top of the list of voter concerns, we expect Healthy Wisconsin to be reintroduced early in the 2009 legislative session.
Senator's Kohl and Feingold
Save SeniorCare
The decision makers at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) were determined to end the Wisconsin SeniorCare Program. Despite the many advantages of SeniorCare over the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug benefit, CMS representatives were standing firm on ending the program on June 30, 2007.
However, Senator's Kohl and Feingold had other ideas. They quickly took advantage of an opportunity to add an amendment to a bill in the Senate to extend SeniorCare through 2009. The legislation passed and was signed by President Bush in April 2007.
Wisconsin seniors are fortunate to have the SeniorCare prescription drug program available to them. SeniorCare, established by the State of Wisconsin, should have been a model for those who cobbled together the Medicare Part D coverage. The SeniorCare program allows Wisconsin seniors to have comprehensive drug coverage. It makes prescription drugs more affordable and makes it easier for seniors to obtain the medicine they need for a healthier life.
According to the SeniorCare web site, the requirements for enrolling are as follows:
Eligibility Requirements Include:
- Must be a Wisconsin resident.
- Must be 65 years of age or older.
- Must pay a $30 annual enrollment fee per person.
- Only income is measured. Assets, such as bank accounts, insurance policies, home property, etc., are not counted.
You can get more information at the SeniorCare web site.
Americans Not Retiring According To Plan
The fact that Americans are retiring later is the result of several factors. The changes to Social Security in 1983 included a provision for raising the full retirement age beginning with people born in 1938 or later. The Congress cited improvements in the health of older people and increases in average life expectancy as primary reasons for increasing the normal retirement age.
While the Social Security changes may have been the beginning, other factors should also be considered. They include:
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The decrease in the number of pension plans throughtout the country.
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The numbers of Americans who, due to personal economic conditions, were unable to set aside a "nest egg" for retirement.
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The spiraling cost of health care and prescription drugs that takes a greater share of retirement funds.
- The fact that many Americans who saved for retirement are outliving their retirement account.
For those who wonder how their retirement savings has prepared them financially, their is an enlightening report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office that may prove helpful.
