Palm Springs doctor, patients lobby Washington for Medicare
By John Yaukey/Desert Sun Washington Bureau
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Palm Springs Dr. Marc Hoffing made a house call Wednesday — to the House of Representatives.
Hoffing, medical director of Desert Oasis Healthcare, one of the Coachella Valley's largest health care providers, and several of his patients made rounds on Capitol Hill talking with lawmakers about some of the proposed changes being discussed for Medicare amid the larger debate on health care reform.
Lawmakers and the White House are in talks over a possible bipartisan compromise that would create a new federal panel designed to hold down Medicare costs in part by recalculating payments to hospitals and other care providers.
Some 45 million Americans who are 65 or older or disabled depend on Medicare, according to the 50-and-over group, AARP.Hoffing said he was concerned about benefits provided to seniors through the Medicare Advantage program.
“This is a key component for us and the 22,000 seniors we serve,” Hoffing said in an interview in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. “It is not a Cadillac plan. It's a bread-and-butter plan.”
Medicare Advantage is a private plan paid through Medicare. It works much like an HMO and offers services above standard Medicare. In some cases, it costs extra.
For Coachella Valley cancer patient Maurice Engleman, 82, the combination of Medicare Advantage and the care he received through Desert Oasis was a lifesaver.
“I can't say enough,” said Engleman, who accompanied Hoffing on Capitol Hill. “I owe my life to the care I received over the past few months.”
So does Patricia Long, who also accompanied Hoffing.
The valley senior lost 70 percent of her liver to cancer, and depends on Medicare Advantage for her care.
“I just keep fighting,” she said.
Hoffing and his group presented lawmakers with 10,000 signatures from valley seniors asking for protection of their Medicare Advantage benefits.
In Riverside County alone, some 45 percent of seniors who use Medicare rely on the Medicare Advantage option.
“The stories I heard were compelling and provided me with personal insight on the health care challenges real people face every day,” said Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, who met with the Coachella Valley group Wednesday.
The already roiling health care debate heated up even more this week as seniors started weighing in heavily on Capitol Hill with calls to lawmakers about possible Medicare cuts.
Contact John Yaukey, e-mail jyaukey@gannett.com
Coordinated Care Facts
In 2007, Medicare Advantage saved seniors nearly $90 per month or $1000 per year in out of pocket costs. An estimated savings of approximately $7 billion annually. Additionally, compared to traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans can reduce out-of-pocket costs by up to $4,000 annually for patients with the highest healthcare needs.
- Comprehensive Care: Patients receive integrated treatment plans, and expert case management and disease prevention strategies for the chronically ill.
- Cost-Effective Care: Integrated medical groups are able to support investments in advanced healthcare information technology, tracking patient follow-through on treatment plans and patient outcomes, and helping to uncover health problems before they become catastrophic.
- Accessible Care: Efficiencies within the coordinated care delivery model mean better healthcare for more seniors, including:
• lower out-of-pocket costs
• increased health services such as dental care, vision care and preventive care
• reduced hospitalizations
• increased prescription coverage
• higher overall satisfaction rates
• greater value for the premium dollar than any other healthcare delivery system
What’s At Risk
If Medicare reforms dismantle incentives for coordinated care, seniors will experience significant increases in out of pocket costs - at a time when many seniors have seen their retirement account’s decline by over 40 percent in value — and decreased quality of healthcare.
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