Wenstrup wants answers on dropped doctors, $200 billion in Medicare Advantage cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "dodged questions" during a congressional oversight hearing this week, Congressman Brad Wenstrup is drawing attention to the seniors in Ohio who are losing access to their trusted physicians due to the cuts to Medicare Advantage in the president’s health care law.
In a news release to The Highland County Press, Wenstrup, a physician of 26 years, called the impacts “devastating to Ohio seniors” and explained he is concerned with recent moves to drop doctors and limit provider networks within Medicare Advantage plans. “As a physician, I know how vital the doctor patient relationship is to achieving better health outcomes.”
“I’m hearing from Ohio seniors who were told if they liked their doctor and health plan, they could keep their doctor and health plan. Now, Obamacare is forcing many seniors to choose between the two as Medicare Advantage plans drop doctors from their networks to make up for Obamacare’s $200 billion in cuts to the program.”
In a letter to Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Wenstrup and 10 other members of the Ohio delegation are requesting specifics on how these cuts will affect Ohio seniors and Medicare Advantage providers on a county-by-county basis over the next four years.
[[In-content Ad]]“It’s already happening: one constituent told me they’re looking at an extra 100 miles of travel every week because the specialist in their county is dropped from their plan. Another has had their cancer specialist eliminated from their network,” Wenstrup noted.
“We’re facing Medicare Advantage cuts that may impact upwards of 700,000 Ohio seniors. That means our parents and grandparents, our greatest generation, could have to pay more for less choice when it comes to their health care,” Wenstrup said. “This just doesn’t measure up to the soaring rhetoric President Obama used to get Obamacare passed.”
The $200 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage were enacted into law as part of President Obama’s health care reform in 2010. Just last month, the Ohio State Medical Association highlighted the first round of dropped doctors across Ohio, citing numerous areas in the state that were losing specialist coverage.
NOTE: A copy of the letter can be found at: http://wenstrup.house.gov/uploadedfiles/cmsletter.pdf.
Letter cosigners include:
Steve Chabot (OH-1)
Brad Wenstrup (OH-2)
Jim Jordan (OH-4)
Bob Latta (OH-5)
Bill Johnson (OH-6)
Bob Gibbs (OH-7)
Mike Turner (OH-10)
Pat Tiberi (OH-12)
David Joyce (OH-14)
Steve Stivers (OH-15)
Jim Renacci (OH-16)