Hoyer Hosts Discussion with Seniors on Medicare and the Impact of the Republican Budget

MITCHELLVILLE, MD – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) visited the Collington Episcopal Life Care Community for a discussion with residents and staff on the Republican budget and the impact it will have on Maryland's senior population.

"Today's discussion with residents and staff of the Collington Episcopal Life Care Community was very productive," stated Congressman Hoyer. "We had a very serious conversation about the many benefits of the Affordable Care Act – including how it is already working to strengthen Medicare and help beneficiaries – and the ways in which the Republican budget would roll back those benefits. Under the Affordable Care Act, seniors are already receiving a 50% discount on brand name drugs if they fall in the donut hole and free preventive care, such as no-cost annual check-ups, annual mammograms, and screenings for cancer. Conversely, the Republican budget would repeal those provisions: no free wellness visits; no affordable preventive care; no $200 savings on premiums. The Republican budget re-opens the donut hole – so seniors will be paying more for prescription drugs. And it ends many of the reforms that keep Medicare solvent. I understand that we have to do more to get our debt under control, but the responsible answer is not to use the threat of debt to radically change programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The responsible answer is sharing our sacrifices fairly, and not putting all the sacrifices on the backs of our middle class and our seniors. I am committed to working to ensure we take care of our older Americans, and I look forward to continuing to hold these types of informational discussions with Fifth District residents."

The Republican Budget

The Republican budget ends Medicare as we know it, shifting the risk and burden of rising health care costs to seniors. Based on Congressional Budget Office calculations, a Maryland senior entering Medicare in 2022 would pay $6400 more under the Republican budget than if they were entering the traditional Medicare program today. The Republican budget also dismantles Medicaid through block grants to states, which would increase the cost of nursing home care for seniors.

For more information on how the Republican budget impacts seniors, click here.

The Affordable Care Act

Under the Affordable Care Act, over 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland have already received one-time, tax-free $250 rebate checks to assist with their drug costs.  Three million seniors nationwide have benefited from this relief, which was made available to any beneficiary who fell into the Part D drug coverage gap known as the "donut hole" during 2010. 

In addition, under the new law, additional benefits for older Americans in Medicare include:

·         Closing the Part D prescription drug "donut hole."  In January, Part D beneficiaries in the donut hole began receiving a 50% discount on brand name drugs, and a seven percent discount on generic prescriptions.  The discounts will increase over time until the donut hole is completely closed in 2020

·         Free preventive care services like mammograms, flu shots, and certain colon cancer tests and a free annual physical.

·         Extending the solvency of Medicare by an additional 12 years, from 2017 to 2029.

·         Slowing the growth of the cost of Medicare, so that experts estimate that seniors can expect to save on average almost $200 per year in premiums, in 2018, compared to what they would have paid without the new law.

·         Reducing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare.

·         Improving care by incentivizing doctors communicate and coordinate.

·         Expanding home and community-based services to keep older Americans in their home, instead of in nursing homes.

For more information on how the Affordable Care Act benefits seniors, visit www.HealthCare.gov.