Better Medicare Alliance, a coalition of more than 500,000 grassroots seniors supporting Medicare Advantage, applauded Orlando Congresswoman Val Demings for leading a bipartisan Congressional letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra from 70 Members of Congress representing districts with 50% or higher Medicare Advantage enrollment.
The letter, which Rep. Demings organized alongside Representatives Mike Gallagher, Marc Veasey and Gus Bilirakis, praises Medicare Advantage (MA) as “integral to fulfilling the Medicare guarantee” and notes that it is “uniquely positioned to ensure seniors receive the care and support they need during the pandemic and beyond.”
Val Demings’ Medicare letter also expressed the lawmakers’ desire to “protect and strengthen MA for the over 26 million seniors it serves.”
Over 64,000 residents of Florida’s 10th Congressional District are enrolled in Medicare Advantage today; 55% of the district’s total Medicare population.
“With this letter, Congresswoman Demings is taking meaningful, bipartisan action to protect and strengthen the health and financial security of Florida seniors,” said Allyson Y. Schwartz, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance. “Statewide, over 2.2 million Floridians are entrusting their health to Medicare Advantage today. They deserve to see their leaders in Washington stand up for their health coverage. Congresswoman Demings is doing exactly that. On behalf of our over 500,000 grassroots advocates and 160 diverse Ally organizations, we thank Congresswoman Demings for her bipartisan leadership and her firm stand for quality, affordable health coverage for her constituents.”
“Nearly all MA beneficiaries report satisfaction with their health coverage in part because it is focused on diagnosing and treating chronic conditions early to minimize disease progression, avoiding hospitalization, and coordinating care,” the letter adds.
The letter was sent earlier this month. This will surely be an important issue in Florida and nationally ahead of 2022. Demings has announced she is running for U.S. Senate against Senator Marco Rubio. But Demings will also likely face a Democratic primary, and Alan Grayson is one of the biggest Medicare champions and also in the race. Expect to hear much more on the issue and the contrast between all candidates.
Read the full bipartisan Congressional letter here.
