It’s Kept Me Going
Retirement isn’t always a breeze, especially as you get older. As we age, health problems can get worse, income becomes more limited, and it seems like access to high-quality, affordable health care gets harder and harder to come by. That’s why, for me at least, Medicare Advantage has been a godsend.
Before I enrolled in Medicare Advantage, I was juggling costs and coverage under regular, fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and still coming up short. My plan didn’t cover prescription drugs, nor did it include critical dental, vision, and hearing benefits that seniors need. When I enrolled in Medicare Advantage, everything changed—for the better.
My Medicare Advantage plan covers all the prescriptions I need as well as the vision, dental, and hearing coverage that costs extra for FFS Medicare beneficiaries. It even covers benefits that help me stay active and involved in my community. If I need them, I can also access free transportation to the doctor’s office, and there’s someone I can call when I have questions about my coverage. It’s one plan, it’s easy to understand, and most of all, it helps me stay independent.
Seniors all over Lawton, across Oklahoma, and throughout the country rely on Medicare Advantage. Hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans and tens of millions of Americans have made the same choice because the program works. I think it’s fair to say we’ve earned this peace of mind after years of paying into the system, raising families, and serving our communities.
But now, I’m worried that Medicare Advantage might be at risk again. I’ve read about the cuts that the previous administration imposed on the program over the last few years, and I’ve felt them too. It’s frustrating and, frankly, a little scary. None of us wants to go back to a system where we must choose between paying for health care or the everyday essentials that we all need.
That’s why I’m hoping Senators Lankford and Mullin and Congressman Cole will stand up for seniors and patients with disabilities here at home. We need their leadership to help protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage—not just for me, but for the seniors across Oklahoma and nationwide who depend on it to live with dignity.
Medicare Advantage keeps seniors healthier and more active, preventing needless and costly trips to the hospital and emergency room. It keeps us connected to our local communities. And it helps us age comfortably and safely in our homes, with our families, where we belong.
Medicare Advantage is the best option many of us have to access the health care we need, when and where need it, and at costs that won’t break the bank. With support from Congress, Medicare Advantage can keep improving, serving more people, and offering even stronger benefits and cost savings.
To our leaders in Washington: don’t treat this like just another line item in the budget. For me and tens of millions of seniors nationwide, it’s personal. My health, my security, and my quality of life are all on the line. Congress must protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage—for me, and for every senior counting on it in the Sooner State and nationwide.