Rep. Loretta Sanchez Votes To Halt Medicare Premium Hikes

Press Release

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47) today issued the following statement regarding her vote to protect Orange County seniors from unfair increases in their 2010 Medicare Part B premiums. Without congressional action, over a quarter of Medicare enrollees will see their Part B premiums increase from $96 per month to $110-120 per month.

"Today, the House voted to support the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, which will protect 11 million seniors and cash-strapped states across the country from unfair increases in their 2010 Medicare Part B premiums. Under current law, Medicare Part B premiums cannot increase more than the cost of living adjustment for Social Security. But next year, the Social Security COLA is likely to be zero because of the recession. This means seniors will be forced to use their own money to account for premium increases, or have the difference deducted from their Social Security checks.

"In this recession, we shouldn't be forcing our most vulnerable citizens to pay-out-of-pocket for their premium increases, or to take a cut in their Social Security payments. I hope the Senate and President Obama will move quickly to pass this bill, so that Orange County seniors will not be punished by a bad economy."

The Medicare Premium Fairness Act received broad bipartisan support in the House, passing by a vote of 406-18. The bill is endorsed by the AARP, The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA), Alliance for Retired Americans, National Association of State Medicaid Directors, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Association.

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