In mid August, the Senate passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, followed by a $3.5 trillion budget blueprint reconciliation bill passed on party-lines that would make it possible to expand education, child care, climate change initiatives and health care, including many key improvements to Medicare. While the road ahead to passage could be arduous, if the House takes up and fleshes out the vision of this legislation, this would be “the greatest change to social welfare since the 1960s’ Great Society,” as stated in the New York Times.
Supporting this legislation could bring to life many improvements to the lives of American children, parents and elders and our environment. In terms of Medicare, we are joining efforts with our partners at the Center for Medicare Advocacy and other national advocacy organizations to call on Congress and the Administration to prioritize the following improvements to Medicare, including:
- Adding an out-of-pocket cap to Original Medicare
- Adding a comprehensive Oral Health Benefit
- Adding hearing coverage
- Expanding vision coverage
- Reducing prescription drug prices and out-of-pocket costs
- Improving the Medicare Savings Programs’ low-income protections
- Strengthening the Home Health Benefit
- Improving chronic care
- Improving Medigap enrollment options and coverage
Please voice your support and ask your elected officials to strengthening Medicare in these ways. This is an action alert issued by our partners at Center for Medicare Advocacy. You can also sign a separate action alert for adding an Oral Health Benefit. For more information on these proposed Medicare improvements, see CMA’s recent letter. Thanks in advance for taking action. Together we can make Medicare stronger and help improve the lives of many.
