At the start of Medicare Open Enrollment, health justice activists from across the country came together for an important webinar: “Open Season: Corporate health insurers are targeting our seniors!”
Physicians, seniors, students, and people with disabilities joined forces to launch a public campaign against corporate profiteering in Medicare. We gave an overview of our report on corporate overcharging of Medicare; recapped a series of direct actions at insurance company headquarters; and heard stories from patients and physicians about the harms of corporate interference in health care.
Watch our “Open Season” webinar
Medicare Disadvantage materials
Download our one-page fact sheet detailing the most egregious harms of Medicare Advantage corporations; as well as our Medicare Advantage slide set, which covers problems that are fundamental to the program (like its reliance on middlemen) and goes into further detail on our bombshell overpayments report (which identified as much as $140 billion in annual overcharges to taxpayers).
Kitchen Table Campaign toolkit
Browse our Kitchen Table Campaign toolkit on Medicare Disadvantage, which was developed in the lead-up to the anniversary Medicare being signed into law. Our toolkit includes a full policy primer; a comparison chart contrasting Medicare Advantage with Medicare for All; a series of social media graphics; an alternate one-page fact sheet; and much more.
Physicians call for an end to Medicare Advantage
When the Biden administration issued a call for public comment on “ways to strengthen Medicare Advantage,” Physicians for a National Health Program, which represents more than 25,000 doctors nationwide, submitted a comment arguing that the program cannot possibly serve the needs of patients and commercial health insurers…and that something would have to give.
“It would be far more cost-effective for CMS [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] to improve Traditional Medicare by capping out-of-pocket costs and adding improved benefits within the Medicare fee-for-service system,” reads the statement, “than to try to indirectly offer these improvements through private plans that require much higher overhead and introduce profiteers and perverse incentives into Medicare.”
Ready to take action? Sign our petition demanding Congress and President Biden protect Medicare beneficiaries by cracking down on insurance company abuses, and by significantly improving the traditional, public Medicare program. Questions? Email mandy@pnhp.org.