Protecting access to high-quality, affordable health care for seniors is traditionally a top priority for federal lawmakers and regulators. We’ve earned our Medicare benefits, and we are counting on Washington to protect them. Unfortunately, it appears Medicare Advantage is in jeopardy. Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to Medicare Advantage that could lead to skyrocketing health care costs or reduced benefits. For me, Medicare Advantage is a game changer. I take Ozempic which has a list price of nearly $2,000 a month. Thanks to my Medicare Advantage, I only pay $10. These cost savings have changed my life, especially with the rising cost of living. And I’m not the only one.

More than 30 million Americans and 91,000 NH seniors rely on Medicare Advantage for affordable, high-quality health care. As the government considers making these major changes to Medicare Advantage, it’s important for them to know that beneficiaries like me have strong concerns. Instead of rushing to make changes, I hope that CMS slows down until they truly know the impact they would have on beneficiaries. I was honored to join Rep. Annie Kuster at a recent discussion to tell my Medicare Advantage story and help bring the voice of millions of seniors to the table. I thank Rep. Kuster for her strong commitment to Medicare Advantage, and I urge Sens. Hassan and Shaheen to continue standing up for seniors by telling the White House that we cannot afford devastating changes to our Medicare Advantage.

Susan Dow
Pembroke