Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have a message for Dr. Oz: Protect Medicare Advantage
This week, Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz will be responsible for managing and regulating the Medicare Advantage program, which serves over 34 million American seniors and people with disabilities. Ahead of his confirmation, Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) asked our network of beneficiaries to share a message with Dr. Oz, and seniors from across the country responded with stories about how Medicare Advantage is helping them.
For Anita G. of Eaton, Colorado, Medicare Advantage doesn’t just cover visits to the doctor; it also helps her to afford daily essentials to keep her and her family healthy. “We use our Advantage Medicare plan to help with offsetting the cost of food, over-the-counter drugs, toothpaste, and things of that sort,” she said. “Without it, I don’t know what we’d do.”
A healthy diet is a key aspect of overall health and can help seniors manage various ailments. For Brian R. of Rhome, Texas, “[Medicare Advantage] has been very helpful in getting the things I need…over the counter medications and even healthy food. It has also enabled me to manage my diabetes better and my heart trouble that I have”.
For beneficiaries managing chronic illness, losing their Medicare Advantage coverage wouldn’t just be an inconvenience, it could be a matter of life and death. Linda H. from Centreville, Virginia, experienced a heart attack — but thanks to Medicare Advantage, “all my bills were taken care of.”
“I just had a pacemaker inserted and I have some other things going on,” she said, “but Medicare Advantage is a life-saver for me.”
Brian B. of York, Pennsylvania, shared: “Dr. Oz…Without [Medicare Advantage], I’d probably be dead. It’s very important to me. …I try to pay for all the best that I can get for my healthcare, please keep fighting for us so that we don’t lose this.”
Two straight years of cuts to Medicare Advantage have been impacting millions of seniors, who have experienced plan closures, benefit reductions, or higher costs. Rick P. of Akron, Ohio, said he has “noticed that the coverage [has] steadily decreased while the costs have steadily increased.”
“We need somebody to speak for us,” he said.
For millions of seniors across the country, Medicare Advantage is more than just a policy debate; it’s a crucial program they depend on.
Joan S. of Covington, Louisiana, summed it up nicely: “I have had Medicare Advantage since I turned 65, 12 years ago…Without it, I don’t know what we would do. It is crucial that we maintain the services that exist now, and if anything, we improve upon them.”
Seniors shouldn’t have to choose between medical care, food, and other necessities. Their real-life stories make it clear: the Medicare Advantage program must be strengthened and protected. Better Medicare Alliance looks forward to working with Dr. Oz and the Trump Administration to do this on behalf of our beneficiary network.
See more of our Dr. Oz video submissions here: