Mike Fisher, Vermont’s health care advocate, recently wrote that low-income seniors and people with a disability on Medicare are struggling with the high costs of the program. He is encouraging the legislature and the Scott administration to support H.118 and S.61, twin bills expanding eligibility for the state’s Medicare Savings Program.
Mr. Fisher wrote, “Wages and social security have not kept up with the cost of basic needs like food, shelter, transportation, and health care. But it is especially hard for Vermonters who have been at an economic disadvantage for much of their lives.” Disabled workers and women customarily have lower earnings which result in less social security benefits to start with.
Medicare’s monthly premium this year is up to $174.70. For people living close to the poverty level, this is a significant amount to have taken out of their monthly Social Security benefit. Medicare deductibles and copays add to the hardship.
Medicare savings programs help pay for certain Medicare premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and the 20% copay. We can alleviate this burden by expanding eligibility for this vital program, as other northeastern states have done. Please, contact your Representative and Senator and ask them to support H.118 and S.61.
Increasing eligibility for this program would also lessen the lure of Medicare Advantage (MA), the commercial insurance version of Medicare. While the low premiums for MA attract many low-income people, they end up being worse off. There is a reason that so many commentators call the program Medicare (Dis)Advantage.
Charlie Murphy
Bennington
