In 2004 the federal program Medicare Advantage was established to cut Medicare costs and give seniors more choices through private insurance plans. Now a recent report by the national advocacy organization, USAction, says in Ohio, Medicare Advantage programs are on average 15 percent more expensive than basic medicare coverage. Norm Wernet directs the Alliance for Retired Americans in Ohio.
Norm Wernet: That's costing Ohio tax payers $311 million each year. That's a subsidy that could be better spent delivering direct services.
Wernet says Medicare Advantage programs often include additional premiums and copays, while at the same time have been known to scale back existing Medicare benefits in some cases. He's calling on U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, and Senators George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown to re-evaluate Medicare Advantage this week when congress debates expanding health coverage to lower income children.
Lisa Ann Pinkerton, 90.3.