Local U.S. Reps Send Letter That Addresses Proposed Medicare Cuts March 31, 2017

U.S. Reps Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, and Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, sent a delegation letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Friday that addresses proposed Medicare cuts. The proposed cuts addressed in the letter are to the Medicare Advantage Retiree Coverage, also known as Employer Group Waiver Plans. The letter was signed by 10 other Michigan U.S. reps including Dave Trott, R-Birmingham, Sander Levin, R-Royal Oak, and Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield. Last year, despite the delegation’s effort, the proposed three to four percent cuts were finalized. This year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed an additional 1.25 percent cut to these plans. This would lead to higher out-of-pocket costs and reduced benefits for more than 400,000 beneficiaries in Michigan who rely on this coverage, according to the letter.