Don’t Let Washington Take Away What Works for Seniors

By Catherine Pomeroy

Every winter, my husband and I make the long trip from Michigan to Arizona to see our family, enjoy the weather, and spend time with our grandkids. At our age, good health makes those moments possible, and for me, that means being enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

Over the years, my plan has transformed my life. It covers things traditional Medicare doesn’t, like dental, vision, and hearing care. It also helps with prescriptions, preventive screenings, and even wellness programs that keep folks like me more active. When you’re living on a fixed income, that kind of coverage isn’t just nice to have. It’s essential.

What I appreciate most is its predictability. Medicare Advantage includes caps on annual out-of-pocket expenses, so costs are more manageable. That lets me focus more on my health and family, and less on my finances.  Unfortunately, the program always seems to be under attack by lawmakers in Washington willing to sacrifice people’s long-term health and security for short-term savings.

That’s what is happening right now. Some lawmakers are pushing for the No UPCODE Act. The bill sounds technical, but what it boils down to is less funding for Medicare Advantage. That means fewer benefits and higher out-of-pocket costs and premiums for seniors. And that’s coming straight from the Congressional Budget Office.

The No UPCODE Act also threatens access to programs that keep people healthy, like in-home health assessments. These check-ins enable providers to catch problems early, before they turn into emergencies. Limiting these visits won’t save money. It’ll just shift the cost to patients and hospitals later down the line.

I’ve spent my life working in manufacturing, where planning and proactive prevention efforts are keys to success. You didn’t wait for a machine to break down — you fixed it before it failed. Health care is the same. Preventive care helps seniors avoid hospitalizations and enables them to live independently. It also saves money in the long run, for both beneficiaries and taxpayers. That’s the real value of Medicare Advantage, and it’s why it’s worth protecting.

There are more than 34 million Americans on Medicare Advantage today, representing over half of the entire Medicare population, including hundreds of thousands in Arizona. Many are retired teachers, factory workers like the folks I worked with, veterans, and caregivers. They’ve all earned these benefits. They deserve to know that the program they count on won’t disappear because of shortsighted decisions made in Washington.

If the No UPCODE Act passes, people like me will lose coverage and care that allows us to live full, active lives. It could cause seniors to skip doctor visits because they can’t afford the copay, or force families to worry about what happens if mom or dad gets sick.

We don’t need more uncertainty. We need lawmakers who will protect our health care.  I’m asking Arizona’s leaders in Congress to stand with us and oppose the No UPCODE Act.

By protecting Medicare Advantage, they’ll be safeguarding accessible and quality health care for the people who’ve earned it and rely on it every single day.