America badly needs health care reform, especially for its seniors who are the least able to absorb the rising costs of health care. Some people say that health care reform will eliminate overpayments to private health care plans and, thereby, Medicare patients will save. Health care reform can prevent waste and fraud and, in general, lower costs to seniors.
Many seniors rightly complain about how much of their meager funds health care – especially medications – absorb. Much is heard about the infamous “donut hole,” which is the gap in prescription drug coverage in Medicare Part D. Health care reform is closing this gap, with the donut hole being completely closed by 2020, patients getting help with it every year until then.
Health care reform seeks to promote quality, affordable care for seniors by investing in improvements to the quality of care seniors receive in nursing homes. It will improve care coordination including the delivery of care for senior patients with one or more chronic conditions. It also promises to eliminate costs for preventative care, such as x-rays, MRI’s, CAT scans, etc. Already, people can receive a free wellness checkup once a year.
Finally, health care reforms seek to improve the quality of care for seniors confined to a nursing home.