New Video Ads: Kathy’s Story Highlights the Stakes in Medicare Advantage Funding Fight
WASHINGTON — When Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, retiree Kathy Bandstra broke her hip on the same day she met CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, she faced an $81,000 medical bill. Not only that — but she was hundreds of miles from home in Washington, D.C. But Kathy’s Medicare Advantage plan kept her bill to under $2,000 and set her on a path to a full recovery. Now, she’s fighting to maintain that coverage for herself and millions of other seniors.
Today, Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) launched a digital ad campaign telling Kathy’s and her husband Greg Bandstra’s story — using it to elevate the voices of seniors who are deeply concerned about a proposed federal payment rate that threatens higher costs and reduced benefits for millions of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
“I was so thankful that I had Medicare Advantage and that I didn’t have to worry about paying all that extra money,” Kathy says in the ad. “My story is the reason we need to fully fund Medicare Advantage. Dr. Oz, we need your help and your support today.”
“That ride to the hospital — it was surreal. It was terrifying,” Greg says in the ad. “The coverages are way better than I ever imagined.”
The new ads underscore the stakes in the ongoing debate over the 2027 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice, with proposed flat funding that would not keep pace with rising medical costs. If finalized, the proposal could lead to higher out-of-pocket costs, reduced supplemental benefits, and coverage disruptions for millions of seniors like Kathy and Greg — seniors who depend on Medicare Advantage to keep costs manageable when the unexpected happens.
“Kathy and Greg’s story is exactly why protecting Medicare Advantage right now matters,” said Mary Beth Donahue, President and CEO of Better Medicare Alliance. “Millions of seniors would face higher costs and reduced benefits if Medicare Advantage isn’t fully funded. Their voices — and the voices of millions of beneficiaries like them — need to be heard in Washington right now.”
The ads will run as part of BMA’s ongoing digital campaign continuing through the Advance Notice period.
Kathy Bandstra, 75, lives in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin with her husband, Greg. She enjoys yoga, crafting, and taking part in classes at her local YMCA, which she accesses through her Medicare Advantage plan. A licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience, Kathy opened her own counseling practice after retirement to meet the demand for affordable therapy in her community.
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Better Medicare Alliance is a community of hundreds of thousands of grassroots beneficiaries and 200+ ally organizations working to improve health care through a strong Medicare Advantage. Learn more at bettermedicarealliance.org.