Press Releases

Retirees Gather in Phoenix to Celebrate the One-Year Anniversary of Health Care Reform

March 25, 2011 - On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Arizona retirees gathered together to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Health Care Reform.

The Affordable Care Act: One Year Later and Beyond

The Affordable Care Act Provides Tools To Crack Down On Waste, Fraud And Abuse In Medicare. The Act provides an additional $300 million for stronger enforcement and gives the government more authority to increase oversight of companies participating in Medicare and Medicaid. [Associated Press, 5/13/10]

The Government Recovered Record $4 Billion From Fraud Prevention And Enforcement. The Obama administration created the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) in 2009 to prevent waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and expanded the Medicare Fraud Strike Force teams. The teams were in seven cities and imprisoned 146 individuals and racked up 140 indictments against 284 defendants who billed Medicare for almost $600 million, according to Department of Health and Human Services. The Affordable Care Act also includes tools to crack down on Medicare waste, fraud and abuse. [The Hill, 1/24/11]

The Affordable Care Act Ends Medicare Overpayments To Insurance Companies. The Affordable Care Act ends Medicare Advantage overpayments to private insurance companies. In 2009, payments for Medicare Advantage plans were 14 percent higher than what traditional Medicare would spend for similar beneficiaries. [AARP, Fact Sheet: What the Health Care Law Does Now for People 65+; MedPac, March 2009]

Under The Affordable Care Act, 3 Million Seniors In The Donut Hole Received $250 Rebate Last Year. The Affordable Care Act provides relief to seniors who fall in the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole.” In 2010, 3 million seniors received a $250 rebate check to help with the cost of prescription drugs. In 2011, seniors who hit the donut hole are eligible for $1,500 in savings. By 2020, the donut hole will be closed completely. [The Hill, 1/21/11]

The Affordable Care Act Provides 44 Million Seniors With Free Preventive Care Benefits Including An Annual Wellness Exam. Under the Affordable Care Act, 44.1 million seniors no longer have to pay for Medicare-approved preventive care services. The preventive benefits available in 2011 include a free annual wellness visit and screenings for bone density, diabetes and certain cancers. That means health problems can be detected and treated sooner. [AARP, Fact Sheet: The Health Care Law and Medicare]

The Affordable Care Act Provides Expanded Medicaid Services And Options That Can Help Seniors With Home Care. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Act provides “states with new options for offering home and community-based services through a Medicaid state plan.” It also establishes the “Community First Choice Option in Medicaid to provide community-based attendant supports and services to individuals with disabilities who require an institutional level of care.” States will receive a higher federal matching rate to help with the costs of the program. [Kaiser Family Foundation, Summary of the Health Reform Law]