Protect Seniors’ Access to Medicare: Support Repeal of IPAB

Published May 15, 2017February 27, 2020 by SSO

kane-reinholdtsen-145944 Attention seniors! If you are like me and depend on Medicare for your health care services, now is an important time to be paying attention to what is happening in Washington, DC. It is expected that the Independent Payment Advisory Board, known as IPAB, could soon become a reality.

If you are a longtime reader, then you may already know about IPAB from our previous post. If not, here are the basics:

IPAB was established by the Affordable Care Act. If Medicare spending exceeds a certain level, then a board of 15 unelected officials are given a broad-range of authority to make decisions about mandatory cuts to Medicare spending.

This is a big problem for Medicare beneficiaries like you and me. These bureaucrats are unelected and in no way accountable to voters. They are required to make spending cuts, but not to maintain quality of care. This means IPAB could soon be determining what will be covered under Medicare – from treatments, to procedures, to medications.

And don’t be fooled by the fact that the president hasn’t appointed members to the board yet. Unfortunately, spending cuts are still mandated by law, so all of IPAB’s power is shifted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Proposed changes by IPAB or the HHS secretary can even bypass congressional approval. In this case, the future of health care for millions of seniors could be determined by just one individual.

Across the country, more than 670 organizations made up of patients, doctors, hospitals, employers and veterans are advocating for the repeal of IPAB. Additionally, there is bipartisan support from lawmakers to ensure IPAB never becomes a reality. However, time is running out. As seniors, we must join in and encourage Congress to repeal IPAB today. Our health depends on it.

Helping Seniors Speak Out on Medicare Part D

Published October 9, 2014February 27, 2020 by SSO

Hello! My name is Nona Bear and for the last 20+ years I have read about, talked about, studied, and listened to information and ideas about Medicare. One year ago, my “book learning” got upgraded to “hands on” experience, as I became a Medicare beneficiary myself.

My goal in writing this blog is to share my thoughts as both a person on Medicare, as well as, someone who works in health care advocacy. I hope that many of you will reciprocate by sharing your observations, ideas, recommendations and even critiques about how Medicare works for you.

As I write this, I have just come back from getting my prescriptions refilled at the pharmacy. I have great confidence in the pharmacists who are on staff and want to be able to keep getting my medicines from there. When I first chose a Medicare Part D plan, I took the time to review each plan’s list of participating pharmacies so that I could shop where I preferred. That choice was one of several important factors I considered when I selected a plan.

Now, with Medicare Open Enrollment around the corner, I will continue to take full advantage of the options that Medicare Part D provides. In addition to keeping the pharmacy I want, I will be reviewing plans — including the one I have now — to be sure I get the best deal in terms of premium cost and, most importantly, coverage for the medicines I take. Having a choice means I have power as a consumer and as a patient, which is something I value and want to keep.

How will you take advantage of the options provided by Open Enrollment when it begins on October 15, 2014? What factors are most important to you? Where do you get the information you need to make your decision? Where do you go for help in making your choice?

Please share your experiences and best advice on making the most of Open Enrollment or other things about Medicare that are on your mind. Be sure to check back with us regularly to read your thoughts and hear what other Medicare beneficiaries from around the country are saying.

I hope to hear from you soon!!