Village of Caroline resident, Sue Azia, and Village of Alhambra resident, Sue Michalson, of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, addressed the crowd at Colony Cottage Saturday morning at The Villages Democratic Club’s monthly meeting. They spoke about how the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) will actually help senior citizens on Medicare.
“There is a lot of mis-information out there,” Azia said. “The Democrats in our government will not only preserve Medicare, we will expand it.” She also explained how Obamacare will narrow the prescription drug donut hole. “Right now, when seniors on Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans reach the $2,850 coverage gap, they must pay up to $4,550 for their prescriptions at 100 percent of drug company prices. This has been a big burden for many of us trying to live on limited incomes. Each year this percentage will decrease,” Azia continued, “and by 2017, we will only have to pay 40% for brand name drugs and 5 percent for generic drugs in the donut hole.”
“The Affordable Care Act will offer free preventive health services,” said Sue Michalson, “like hepatitis and pneumonia vaccines, mammograms and colonoscopies, alcohol and tobacco counseling and support for the mentally ill.” She touted efforts to combat Medicaid fraud and abuse. “We have recovered billions in fraudulent billings, Michalson continued. “This program has paid for itself and been very successful.”
She slammed the proposed Ryan budget and demanded that we not cut benefits to our middle class in order to reduce the deficit.