Jan's Plans & Pans - October 1, 2022

Dear John xxxxxx,

On Friday, Congress passed legislation to continue funding the government, avoiding a government shutdown. A shutdown would have sidelined federal services, such as anti-poverty food assistance and customer service functions at the Social Security Administration. The legislation contains $18.8 billion for domestic disaster recovery efforts, including Western wildfires, floods in Kentucky and hurricanes in the Southeast. For some reason, 201 House Republicans voted against this bill. They wanted to shut down the government, just as the federal response to Hurricane Ian is beginning. I am glad we passed this legislation so areas in the United States impacted by extreme weather events can get the relief funding they need.

We must believe the Republicans in Congress when they say they are going to take away our fundamental rights. Since 2021, Republicans in Congress have introduced 52 bills to ban or restrict abortions nationwide. Furthermore, this week, Kevin McCarthy and the Republicans released a plan that will repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. In fact, they want to raise Medicare costs so they can hand hundreds of billions of dollars to their friends at Big Pharma. They have also repeatedly said they would like to take away Social Security and Medicare. I will continue fighting to ensure that we protect the basic rights of hardworking Americans.

On Wednesday, I introduced legislation to help patients and government watchdogs evaluate the quality of private health insurance plans provided through Medicare. Seniors deserve quality, transparent health care. The Medicare Advantage Consumer Protection and Transparency Act requires insurers to provide information related to coverage, claims, and denials, which government agencies and the public would have access to. The bill also requires plans to provide consumers with clearer and more accurate descriptions of the services they offer, to protect patients from deceptive marketing practices. Seniors deserve better!

If you need any assistance with a federal agency, whether it be a Social Security problem, an immigration case, or a postal issue, just to name a few, my office is here to help. Head to my website for further assistance and information.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Sincerely,