Dear Editor,
Seniors don’t ask for too much from the government. We don’t want handouts or special treatment. What we should be able to rely on, however, is access to healthcare that we can actually afford. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for someone who served their country for fourteen years.
Medicare Advantage delivers on that for me. I know my life would be much harder without the services and benefits my plan covers. I’m especially grateful for the help it provides with scheduling my appointments and lining up rides to and from the doctor’s office. I gave up driving a while back, and that kind of support keeps me from putting off the care I need.
Over the years, I've become increasingly concerned about what will happen to my coverage as lawmakers treat the program like a bargaining chip in. Veterans like me shouldn’t have to fear getting the rug pulled out from under us when it comes to the healthcare we rely on. But the cost of care keeps climbing, and unless the program’s support in Washington holds firm, something’s got to give eventually. When it does, it’ll be seniors who pay the price.
With more than three million Floridians enrolled in the program, Senators Scott and Moody and Representative Cammack should make it a top priority to protect Medicare Advantage. They must push back on any proposed cuts, keep the program on solid footing, and not wait for a crisis before acting. That’s what seniors in Florida need, and I think it’s the least we deserve.
Carl Vollmer
Gainesville, FL
