Jayapal and Dingell: Trump’s Medicare Advantage Expansion Puts Profits Over People

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, issued the following news release:

Today, in response to President Trump's announcement of an executive order to bolster the privatization of Medicare Advantage, the private-sector version of Medicare, Congresswoman Jayapal (D-WA) and Congresswoman Dingell (D-MI) released the following statement:

"From the very beginning, this president and his administration have made repeated attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, cut health services for women, and limit access to health care for immigrants and other vulnerable populations. Now, he is threatening the health and financial well being of our seniors by pushing more of them into risky, for-profit Medicare Advantage plans.

"If the president is serious about 'protecting and improving Medicare,' he should stop parroting falsehoods about 'socialism' and work with us to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable healthcare. Our Medicare for All bill would remove the for profit motive in our healthcare system, include much-needed benefits like long term care for seniors and expand it so that seniors and other consumers can afford their health care without worrying about unaffordable premiums, co-pays, and deductibles."

"Medicare Advantage" has a history of overbilling taxpayers and lining the pockets of private insurance companies through restrictive provider networks. This program has proven risky for seniors in poor or declining health as it includes plans that deny seniors access to care, often leaving them no choice but to drop their plans. These same for-profit insurance companies have even maintained lists of "unprofitable patients" and target seniors who are healthier to increase their profit margins.

The Medicare For All Act of 2019:

Gives seniors the benefits they need. For too long, Medicare has not provided seniors with access to the benefits they need, such as dental, vision, hearing, and long-term care. Medicare for All covers all of these benefits with no premiums, co-pays or out-of-network deductibles.

Allows seniors to have more choices without worrying about whether a provider is in-network.

Covers home and community-based long term care for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with terminal illnesses, allowing these Americans to live with dignity with loved ones in their own homes.

Jayapal and Dingell are Co-chairs of the Medicare for All Caucus and lead sponsors of the Medicare for All Act of 2019.