Last week, we unveiled our organizing strategy for the months ahead and told you about the three main priorities in our fight to make Medicare for All a reality nationwide.
Today, I’m going to tell you a bit more about one of those priorities: fighting back against the privatization of Medicare.
What does Medicare privatization mean?
There are two main pillars of the privatization of Medicare — the long-established but expanding program called Medicare Advantage and a new pilot program called ACO REACH.
Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, is a type of plan offered within Medicare that is administered by private health insurers. Medicare Advantage plans typically cover 25% fewer services, require prior authorization, often result in more delays and denials, and incentivize less care than traditional Medicare.
A new pilot program was launched during the end of the Trump administration that today is known as ACO REACH. The program invites private health care corporations to manage traditional Medicare plans without the knowledge or consent of Medicare beneficiaries, allowing private health care corporations to silently profit off what should be a high-quality, public program. 1.8 million people have already been auto-enrolled in this pilot program, with the potential to grow to tens of millions of people.
What can we do to fight back?
We’ve already begun fighting back against the proliferation of Medicare Advantage — here’s how you can join us:
At the beginning of each congressional session, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), one of the biggest lobbying groups in the corporate health care industry, circulates a letter for members of Congress to sign-on in support of Medicare Advantage programs. This process has already begun, and we need as many members of Congress to stay off the letter as possible. Use this tool created by our friends at Social Security Works to reach out to your members of Congress and ask them not to sign this letter.
Reach out to your members of Congress »
Thank you for all of your hard work.
In solidarity,
Jasmine Ruddy
Organizer
Nurses’ Campaign to Win Medicare for All
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