Mid-term Elections 2010 – Massachusetts - No Cost of Living for Social Security 2011 - Seniors Lose Medicare Advantage due to Health Care Reform

From the Springfield, Mass. Republican: “the government is expected to announce this week that more than 58 million Social Security recipients will go through another year without an increase in their monthly benefits.” The increases are set on the rate of inflation, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is no need for an adjustment. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not include either food or fuel in its inflation rate, which will leave many seniors stuck between a rock and a hard place this coming year.

In addition, Massachusetts and Iowa Seniors will be left without a huge safety net: their Medicare Advantage programs. In Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim announced it will end its Medicare Advantage program, leaving 22,000 seniors out in the cold. The reason: paying for the National Health Care Program signed into law by the Democrat controlled Congress and President Obama. Someone has to pay, and why not those who paid most into the system? From the Heritage Foundation: an article written in September discusses the loss of this crucial benefit to seniors. In an interview with the VP of Customer Service at Harvard Pilgrim, the following quote is stunning: “We know that cuts in Medicare are being used to fund national health care reform. And we also had concerns about our ability to build a network of health care providers that would meet the needs of our seniors.”

Therefore, cuts to doctors and insurers are forcing them to take the more expensive Medicare Supplement plans off the table, and in addition, they are concerned about finding doctors for patients that subscribe to these plans – they’ll offer them lower cost options, with lesser benefits.

What is a Medicare Advantage Plan? From Medicare.gov:

Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called "Part C" or "MA Plans," are health plans offered by private companies approved by Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, the plan provides all your Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans always cover emergency and urgent care. Medicare Advantage Plans must cover all the services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care. (Original Medicare covers hospice care even if you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan.)
Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most plans also include Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Therefore, those who are left without Medicare Advantage Coverage (Part C) must foot the bill for expenses that had, in the past, been covered, but will not be covered by Medicare Parts A & B.
So much for the President and Congresses promises that U.S. Citizens could keep their coverage. As a direct result of the new program, those most vulnerable have lost the medical coverage they rely on.

Massachusetts is not the only state that has seen a carrier pull out due to “Health Care Reform”. In Iowa, (Chicago Tribune): insurers will drop 21,000 seniors from their programs in 2011, and one can expect carriers in other states soon following suit.

For those Congressional Representatives, up for reelection, who voted for Health Care Reform, and have the nerve to campaign on “saving social security”, seniors and those relatives that are concerned for their parents and grandparents, should sends a solid message letting them know the consequences of their signing that bill.

To find out how your Congressional Representative Voted visit this link Here .

The following Massachusetts Congressional Representatives voted “Yes” for Health Care Reform:
Democrats — Capuano, Y; Delahunt, Y; Frank, Y; Lynch, N; Markey, Y; McGovern, Y; Neal, Y; Olver, Y; Tierney, Y; Tsongas, Y.
All of the Massachusetts Congressional Representatives are up for Reelection:

The following Representatives face Challengers for their Congressional Seats:
John Olver faces Bill Gun
Delahunt (Retired) Republican running: Jeff Perry
Barney Frank faces Sean Bielat
Richard Neal faces Tom Wesley. Note: Neal is campaigning on Social Security!
Nicki Tsongas faces Jon Golnick
McGovern faces Mary Lamb
Tierney faces Bill Hudak
Ed Markey faces Gerry Dembrowski
Capuano – not contested
Lynch (who voted against Health Care Reform, faces Vernon Harrison

Although pundits will note all districts are “Safe Democrat”, those predictions are made in Washington, not the cities, suburbs and hill towns of the Bay State. It has not gone unnoticed that there is little news on theses Congressional Races, nor the fact that all incumbents are actively campaigning, many for the first time in their “careers”. This vote is one which has cost our seniors dearly – there are others, just as egregious, that the above referenced MA congressional reps have taken right in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi and against their Constituents wishes.