Last month, a survey of 1,000 adults 64 and older revealed a big population of seniors anxious about Medicare. Researchers from SCAN, a large non-profit provider of Medicare Advantage plans, revealed:
- 80% of seniors feel more concerned about the future of Medicare than they were a year ago. The call to repeal/replace Obamacare (the ACA) concerns them.
- 52% feel that changes to or repeal of the ACA will impact their Medicare.
While the Obamacare repeal/replace failed, some experts still think that the Republican-lead Congress can still defeat it with piece by piece legislation or, “death by 1000 cuts” as Columbia professor and New York Times contributor Dr. Thomas Edsall writes in recent opinion piece “Killing Obamacare Softly.” I’ve also heard the term “pecked to death by a duck.”
Seniors, their families and even those approaching old age have every reason to be concerned. Still, regular anti-repeal protests, the Russia investigation, the upcoming 2018 elections and the increasing Republican sentiment against the Trump administration may delay any big moves.
More, I remember in college learning that once a population gets a right, history shows politicians take it away at their own peril. In other words, their constituents vote against them in the next election. Recently, 24 million+ people got health insurance that never had it before. Considering that this care also affects at least one other loved one, that’s almost 50 million people who stand to be effected by subsidized healthcare changes. Reducing access to healthcare and Medicare could even de-stabilize society, and most politicians know this.
We are all in uncertain times. The results of the SCAN study reveal how seniors, one of our most vulnerable populations, is grappling with it. Most seniors prefer to stay at home as they age. If you or a senior loved one feels concerned about your quality of life as you age, review these articles:
We don’t have all the answers about how seniors will be taken care of in the coming decades. We do know how to make seniors safe, connected, well-nourished and happy here and now. If you would like to get more information about Love 2 Live Care Services, do not hesitate to call us at 619-291-4663 or type a short message here and we will call you!