Congressional committee is considering cuts to your Medicare benefits - AARP - comment period closes on August 16, 2013

A key Congressional committee is considering cuts to your Medicare benefits – and asking for your feedback. Tell them that we deserve responsible solutions, not harmful cuts.  Speak out today – the comment period closes on August 16!

Right now, Congress is considering proposals to "modernize" Medicare – with a catch.

Rather than keep the program strong for you and future generations, the changes they are considering would simply shift costs onto the backs of seniors. But we still have time to fight back.

For the next three days, the House Ways and Means Committee is accepting public comments on proposed changes to Medicare. They need to know they can't squeak these changes by unnoticed – so we've set a goal of delivering 50,000 comments to the Committee by their deadline THIS Friday. Will you speak out today?

We only have a few days to make our voices heard on Medicare – the comment period closes in 3 days! Speak out now and tell Congress to reject ANY proposal that would put a heavier burden on seniors.

It's very important that your message to the Committee is in your own words to have the biggest impact. Here are some talking points to get you started:

• I have paid into Medicare my entire life and count on those benefits. [Feel free to include your personal story about how cuts to your benefits would impact you or your family!]
• New co-pays for lab tests and home health services will force some seniors to skip much-needed treatments, leading to unplanned hospital readmissions. This would cost Medicare more, not less. Seniors should not be penalized for following their doctors' orders.
• Raising the Medicare age or increasing deductibles would not reduce health care costs – it would simply force seniors to pay more out-of-pocket. We deserve real solutions from Congress that will reduce costs throughout the health care system.
• We need responsible, commonsense solutions that keep Medicare strong, not harmful cuts. We need solutions that clamp down on drug companies' high prices, improve coordination of care and use of technology, fight fraud and abuse, and find real savings for taxpayers.

It's time for Congress to focus on responsible solutions that will protect the benefits millions rely on, instead of spending more time debating harmful cuts. They need to know how these benefit cuts would impact people like you, James – but we only have three days before the comment period ends, so make your voice heard today!

Submit your comment today to make sure Congress knows you're counting on them to keep Medicare strong.

Thanks for speaking out – together we can keep Medicare strong for today's seniors and future generations.

Sincerely,

Fred Griesbach

AARP Campaigns

 American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) website: CLICK HERE