Medicare Consumer Update Scare Tactics

[Jan]

I received my weekly Medicare Consumer Update today and am furious with what they wrote titled "scare tactics". I hope people who get this Medicare newsletter will not take them at their word and read the document themselves.

This is what I wrote back to them....



----- Original Message -----
From: mrcadvocacyupdate@medicarerights.org
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: Scare Tactics



What you wrote regarding Scare Tactics is NOT TRUE.

Apparently you have not read the entire 1,018 page document:

http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf



Page 425 Lines 4-12 - Government mandates Advance Care Planning Consults. Think Senior Citizens end of life.
Page 425 Lines 17-19 - Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!
Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 - Government provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.
Page 427 Lines 15-24 - Government mandates program for orders for end of life. The Government has a say in how your life ends.
Page 429 Lines 1-9 - An "Advanced Care Planning Consultant" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.
Page 429 Lines 10-12 - "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from Government!
Page 429 Lines 13-25 - The Government will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.
Page 430 Lines 11-15 - The Government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life.



----- Original Message -----
From: Asclepios/MRC Advocacy
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 4:13 PM
Subject: Scare Tactics

Asclepios
Your Weekly Medicare Consumer Advocacy Update

Scare Tactics

July 30, 2009 ? Volume 9, Issue 30

The opponents of health reform will say anything to stop it, no matter how untrue. The latest falsehood alleges that the America?s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (HR 3200) would require older adults to obtain counseling ?that will tell them how to end their life sooner,? in the words of Betsy McCaughey, an employee of the conservative Hudson Institute. Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, went a step further, implying that the House Democrats? health reform bill would ?put seniors in the position of being put to death by their government.?

These falsehoods are designed to scare older adults and gin up opposition to health reform. In fact, HR 3200 provides Medicare coverage for a consultation with a doctor?not a government official?in which the patient can express her preferences regarding end-of-life care. The patient is not required to have this consultation, and there is no mandate for the patient to complete an advance directive (such as a living will) or forego aggressive treatment of a life-threatening illness.

In fact, HR 3200 makes substantial improvements to Medicare. The bill would phase out the Part D ?doughnut hole,? the built-in gap in Medicare drug coverage that requires older adults and people with disabilities to pay the full price for their prescriptions while still paying the premiums for the drug plan. Although it would take until 2023 to fully close the doughnut hole, people with Medicare will benefit immediately as the gap is narrowed with each passing year. The enhanced coverage is paid for by securing lower prices for prescription drugs covered under Medicare Part D. In addition, brand-name drugs for people who are in the doughnut hole would be subject to a mandatory 50 percent discount.

The real threat to the lives of older adults and people with disabilities comes when they cannot afford to buy the medicines they need to treat a serious illness. That is happening right now when people enter the doughnut hole. Closing the doughnut hole is the right thing to do, and we need to pass health reform to make that happen. Please write your senators and representatives and tell them to Remember Medicare and pass health reform.

 

[barbara]

Jan - We need more people who will take the time to do what you have done. The problem with this whole thing is that no one involved in the actual decision making process seems to want to take the time to read it. This type of stick it down our throats in a hurry legislation has got to stop. We have waited this long for a comprehensive health care plan for the U.S., we can certainly wait a while longer. The law does not allow for people to not receive treatment in this country with or without insurance. People are not dying on the steps of the emergency rooms so we need to slow down and do it right or not do it at all.

I am appalled that someone would try to hurry us along towards the grave by limiting treatments to those with chronic and terminal illnesses, but apparently that's what you are going to get with this plan as it is. The way things are done in the U.S. makes us look like a third world country. We ask for legalization of our own stem cells to be used in therapy and we are told no. This could possibly make many of us well so that we would not need to be a burden on the health care system. They don't want us to be sick with this plan and on the other hand they don't want us to be well. Looks like no one wants us at all. This is an extremely scary plan.

We all need to contact our representatives and find out when and where they will be in August. If at all possible, attend the meetings in person and give 'em hell. If they won't be on the plan, then we shouldn't have to be either. It's shameful and disgusting that the U.S. should have sunk to something like this. Time to wake up America.

Here is a way to contact your representatives to see if they are holding town meetings in August.

http://www.capwiz.com/afanet/issues/alert/?alertid=13812796&type=CO

Here is some action you can take if they are not:

If your Senators or Representative is not holding Townhall meeting, ask why not.(We have been told that many of those favoring ObamaCare aren't holding meeting because they don't want to answer questions about ObamaCare.) Then ask for an appointment at his or her district office nearest you.

This is what you will get back after you request the meetings via the site I listed:

Message sent to the following recipients:
Representative Perlmutter
Senator Bennet
Senator Udall
Message text follows:

Barbara Hanson

July 31, 2009

[recipient address was inserted here]


Dear [recipient name was inserted here],

Some friends and I would like to meet with you during the August recess to
discuss ObamaCare. Please send me a schedule of your Townhall meetings so we will be able to attend.

If you aren't holding Townhall meetings, I would still like a meeting with
you.

Please respond to my request.

Sincerely,


Barbara Hanson

Not only would this be a good time to discuss the health care plan, but it would be great to bring up what the FDA has done as far as blocking the legalization of treatment with our own stem cells. Many members of Congress are undoubtedly totally in the dark about this issue.