U.S. CONGRESSMAN BILL JOHNSON Proudly Representing Eastern and Southeastern Ohio

One of the reasons I was sent to Washington was to work every day on behalf of Ohio’s small business owners, families, and seniors — to ensure that the federal government is working for them.

This means reducing regulatory burdens on small businesses, working to create opportunities and reduce living expenses for working families, and protecting health care for our seniors. Because I take this responsibility seriously, I am fighting back against yet another needless attack on the sustainability of the Medicare Advantage program.

Rather than a big government idea, MA serves as a private, market-driven alternative to traditional Medicare, and is popular with seniors across the country. More than 17 million seniors, or approximately 30 percent of the Medicare population, have chosen MA because of its proven track record of delivering innovative, high quality care at lower costs. Of the more than two million Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio, 41 percent have chosen MA.

Many seniors in eastern and southeastern Ohio have told me the choice between MA and Medicare was an easy one — MA provides additional benefits, caps out-of-pocket expenses, and assists with managing chronic diseases. By focusing on prevention and disease management, seniors enrolled in the program have also benefited from better health outcomes. MA enrollees have fewer hospital days, and fewer hospital admissions and readmissions. It is no wonder that 91 percent of seniors enrolled in the program say they are satisfied with their coverage.

But, instead of encouraging further growth in a popular program known for delivering innovative, high quality, affordable care, the Obama administration continues to subject MA to payment cuts year after year. In part to help pay for the president’s ill-conceived health care law, MA plans have been cut by 14 percent since Obamacare was signed — including 10 percent in cuts in the last two years alone. These cuts have left seniors facing higher costs and reduced benefits.

In Ohio, these cuts are costing seniors on average between $60-$80 per month. According to an analysis of data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than one-third (37 percent) of seniors enrolled in MA have incomes of less than $20,000. Higher costs and reduced benefits have a real impact on seniors with a fixed income.

In recent years, these cuts have been deeply hurtful to the more than 17 million seniors and individuals with disabilities enrolled in the program, with many experiencing either increased premiums and out-of-pocket costs, or the erosion of benefits. Doctors throughout my district have also expressed concern over the impact these cuts will have on their practices — and their patients.

What is most concerning is that many seniors no longer have MA as a choice. In fact, the number of counties no longer offering MA quadrupled from 2012 to 2015, leaving 670,000 seniors without the ability to enroll in the program.

There is no question that we must make tough decisions when it comes to rising health care costs and the ever-increasing budget deficit our nation faces. However, it is fiscally irresponsible to find savings in a program that is benefiting millions of seniors, and has a proven record of delivering high value and quality care.

I cannot sit idly by as we look to cut costs at the expense of our most vulnerable. That’s why I joined more than 200 of my colleagues in urging the president to stop these MA cuts – from happening. If President Obama is to keep the promise he made – that “if you like your health plan, you can keep it,” he will work with Congress to ensure that the Medicare Advantage program does not endure another round of crippling cuts.

Congressman Bill Johnson represents Ohio’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.