Getting to the Truth About Reform

Jo Ciavaglia, Health Reporter for the Bucks County Courier Times wrote a great article examining the many false claims used by opponents of reform to confuse and mislead voters and the public about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. She opens her article by saying:

“The onslaught of misinformation and distortions about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act this political season isn't helping the many Americans who are confused about the law.”

You can say that again. It can sometimes be hard to keep up with all the “pants on fire” claims made about the new health reform law, but it is important to separate truth from fiction—especially when it comes to Medicare.

Truth: Medicare is strengthened by the new reform law, and thousands of seniors in Pennsylvania will see important new benefits (like free preventive care, which starts in January 2011 and relief with prescription drug costs in the “donut hole,” which has already started). This is spelled out in Section 3601 of the new law, which unequivocally states: “Nothing in the provisions of, or amendments made by this Act shall result in a reduction of guaranteed benefits” and that “savings generated for the Medicare program by this Act shall extend the solvency of the Medicare trust funds, reduce Medicare premiums and other cost-sharing for beneficiaries, and improve or expand guaranteed Medicare benefits and protect access to Medicare providers.”

Thanks to health-care reform, seniors no longer have to pay any co-pays or premiums for preventive care -- so now thousands of seniors in Western Pennsylvania will have better access and an easier time affording important services like mammograms, colonoscopies, screenings for bone density and diabetes, and a free annual checkup and flu shot.

Savings from the new law keep Medicare financially solvent for an extra 12 years, while offering seniors new benefits and badly-needed help with skyrocketing prescription drug costs.

That's the truth--and it's good news that people deserve to hear. Help us spread the word!

For more Mythbusting on what reform does and doesn’t do, visit Kaiser Health News’ excellent breakdown here: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2010/October/19/health-law-myths-truths.aspx.