Letter: ROMNEY-RYAN PLAN ENDS MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

As an elder law attorney and former Monmouth County Surrogate, I am very concerned about the Republican threat to Medicare and Medicaid.

In 2011 and 2012 Paul Ryan presented budgets to Congress (which every Republican lawmaker signed and Governor Romney endorsed) ending Medicare as we know it and substituting in its place a “voucher” program. This means government no longer pays for medical expenses but gives each senior money to purchase private insurance based on the amount he/she can pay and their pre-existing condition. If you want better care than your stipend allows, you’ll pay more out of your own pocket or go without. The Congressional Budget Office calculates the immediate effect at $6,400.00 per person. Also, seniors will pay 100% for prescriptions in the “donut hole” ($2,840 to $4,550) where Medicare now pays 50% and 100% in 2020.

If that were not enough to cause concern, their budget cuts $800 billion from Medicaid. Nursing homes will not be getting the funding necessary to cover their occupants. Moreover, with more people living longer and less families able to care for loved ones there will be no place for them to go. The effects will be devastating.

Republicans argue these programs will go bankrupt if they don’t change. That hasn’t happened in 47 years If the wealthy paid their fair share of taxes and Congress stopped raiding these programs, that won’t happen.

Vote for President Obama and other Democratic candidates. Save Medicare and Medicaid. Our future depends on it!

PATRICIA A. BENNETT

Rep. Pallone: New Jersey Seniors Saved $198 Million on Prescription Drugs since 2010

Savings made possible by the Affordable Care Act

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senior Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health and a primary author of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today announced Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey have saved $198,051,968 on their prescription drugs since 2010, and $64,480,926 since January 2012, an average of $829 per patient so far this year. The savings are made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which provides discounts on prescription drugs to seniors who fall in the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole.’

The Affordable Care Act currently provides a 50 percent discount to Medicare beneficiaries on brand-name drugs when they fall into the “donut hole” coverage gap. The discounts will gradually increase until the donut hole is fully closed in 2020. In addition, Medicare beneficiaries are now eligible for free key preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies, and a free annual wellness visit as a result of the Affordable Care Act. In the first seven months of 2012, 648,260 Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey took advantage of one or more free preventive service.

“Millions of seniors in New Jersey and across the country with Medicare are already seeing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, whether through savings on their prescription drugs or access to preventive services like mammograms and colonoscopies free of charge,” said Pallone. “Clearly, the Affordable Care Act strengthens Medicare and we must protect these important benefits so our seniors receive quality, affordable health care.”

Nationally, nearly 5.4 million seniors have saved more than $4.1 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the Affordable Care Act. In 2011, an estimated 32.5 million people with traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage across the country received one or more preventive benefits free of charge, and in 2012 alone 18 million people have received at least one free preventive service.

“With the economy struggling and so many seniors living on fixed incomes, these prescription drugs savings are critical to helping our seniors stay healthy. The Affordable Care Act will continue to improve Medicare in the years ahead as more benefits are available and the ‘donut hole’ is completely closed,” added Pallone.

NJ HOUSE REPUBLICANS TELL AMERICANS TO DROP DEAD

For Immediate Release:

(NEW JERSEY) Two weeks ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled that ObamaCare is constitutional. Yet, today, New Jersey Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11), Scott Garrett (NJ-5), Leonard Lance (NJ-7), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), Jon Runyan (NJ-3) and Chris Smith (NJ-4) all once again refused to move on. Instead, they again voted to take away healthcare from millions of Americans

New Jersey’s Republican Congressional delegation has essentially told American families to drop dead. Representatives Frelinghuysen, Garrett, Lance, LoBiondo, Runyan and Smith voted to let insurance companies deny families care because of pre-existing conditions. They voted to throw millions of senior citizens back into the prescription drug donut hole, and voted to kick millions of young adults off their parents’ insurance.  

And just in case that heartless vote wasn't bad enough, this is the same out-of-touch crew supporting the Romney/Ryan budget that ends Medicare while giving huge tax cuts to multi-millionaires, big oil companies and corporate jet owners.

New Jersey’s families deserve better from these congressmen.  They deserve better than those who selfishly care about catering to the fringe of the Republican party at the expense of their constituents.

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The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23^rd, 2010 and declared constitutional by the Supreme Court on June 28^th, 2012. Over the past two years, it has been a tremendous help to millions of Americans as this real reform lowers costs and guarantees more choice for consumers.  As additional provisions are implemented, ACA will continue to benefit millions more people.