On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., showcased her proposal to include full coverage of COVID-19 treatment for Medicare Advantage patients.
Mucarsel-Powell, who worked for Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Health before being elected to Congress in 2018, has teamed up with U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., to push the proposal which they hope to include in any future stimulus package to help the nation during the coronavirus pandemic.
“According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2019, one-third (34 percent) of all Medicare beneficiaries – 22 million people – are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. Florida’s 26th congressional district has the fifth highest percentage of eligible Medicare Advantage enrollees in the country and over 79,000 enrollees total,” the congresswoman’s office noted.
“During this public health crisis, the last thing people need to be worried about is how they will afford treatment if they get sick. This bill would help one third of all Medicare beneficiaries – 22 million people – across the country, including nearly two million Medicare Advantage enrollees in Florida. In South Florida alone, there are over 500,000 seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in Medicare Advantage who would not have to worry about the cost of treatment if this legislation passed,” said Mucarsel-Powell.
“And as COVID-19 disproportionately affects communities of color, it is important to note that Medicare Advantage plans enrolled 55 percent of Hispanic and 39 percent of African American total Medicare beneficiaries. I thank House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone for supporting this bill. As a matter of safety and as a matter of equity, this legislation must pass quickly through Congress in CARES 2.0 to get much-needed help to our communities,” she added.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
