U.S. Rep. McSally: "Our Seniors Deserve a Secure Retirement"

Press Release

U.S. Representative Martha McSally today outlined her efforts to protect Medicare Advantage and provide more opportunity to seniors in Southern Arizona. In a video message, Rep. McSally discussed legislation passed by the House this week to strengthen and increase transparency in the Medicare Advantage program as well as legislation she is working on to stop a tax hike on seniors.

This week, the House passed three bills to strengthen Medicare Advantage, which over 350,000 Arizona seniors rely on for their health care. Those bills included:

The Medicare Advantage Cost Transparency Act (H.R. 2505), a bill to improve access to enrollment data in Medicare Advantage health plans by implementing an annual reporting requirement;

The Seniors' Health Care Plan Protection Act (H.R. 2582), a bill to prevent the termination of certain Medicare Advantage plans;

And the Strengthening Medicare Advantage through Innovation and Transparency for Seniors Act (H.R. 2570), a bill to reduce the copayments or coinsurance for beneficiaries with specific chronic conditions in order to produce better health outcomes.

In addition, Rep. McSally is working with members from the House and Senate to introduce legislation that would prevent a tax hike on seniors. Currently, seniors can deduct out of pocket medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted growth income on their taxes. The Affordable Care Act increases this threshold to 10% on January 1, 2017 for Americans over the age of 65. Rep. McSally's legislation to prevent this increase is set to be introduced in the coming weeks.

Video transcript:

Hi -- I'm Congresswoman Martha McSally.

Arizona's seniors deserve the opportunity to live out their retirement without worrying about how they will meet basic needs, like paying for food or health care. Nearly 130,000 seniors live in the Second District, and they should never have to make the decision between paying for their medications or their next meal.

That's why this week, the House is acting to strengthen retirement programs and help keep health care affordable and available for thousands of Southern Arizona seniors. For example, today we passed legislation that would strengthen Medicare Advantage by requiring increased transparency and ensuring seniors are able to keep the plans they like.

In addition, I'm working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to introduce bipartisan legislation that will stop a tax increase on America's seniors. Tucked away in the Affordable Care Act is a provision that would raise taxes on seniors to help fund the new law, something they simply cannot afford.

Our seniors deserve a secure retirement, and I'm working hard to help make that a reality. Read more about this legislation and my efforts to fight for seniors at mcsally.house.gov.

Thank you and have a great day.

Source