press release
April 26, 2012, 2:02 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- NCOA Issues Statement on the 2012 Medicare Trustees Report
The April 23 release of the Medicare Trustees Report provides an important opportunity to better understand the challenges the nation faces in strengthening and improving Medicare for the future.
To inform the debate, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) has issued an analysis of five key facts that it believes must be understood and considered as policymakers look for solutions to keep Medicare strong for current and future older adults.
"We need to move beyond political spin and hyperbole to focus on the facts so that we can make informed, rational decisions about Medicare's future," says Howard Bedlin, NCOA Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy. "In June, NCOA will become chair of the 68-member Leadership Council of Aging Organizations coalition ( www.lcao.org ) for one year. Protecting and strengthening the Medicare program will be a top priority during our term."
The 5 key facts include:
Medicare "solvency" only applies to Part A Hospital Insurance (HI) and can be misleading. It is untrue to state that Medicare will be "insolvent," "bankrupt," or "go broke" in 2024. There are four parts to the Medicare program (A, B, C, and D), and reports on solvency only apply to Part A Hospital Insurance. In 2024, 87% of Part A benefits could be paid for. Therefore, it is more accurate to state that in 2024 there will be a shortfall in the Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
more... http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-key-facts-must-inform-the-medicare-reform-debate-2012-04-26
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