Retirees Celebrate Health Reform Anniversary

March 23, 2011

New Law Good for Seniors, Retiree Leader Says

For Immediate Release

March 23, 2011

Washington – Marking the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act, activists with the Alliance for Retired Americans are this week holding events around the country and writing their elected officials in support of new benefits that help retirees better afford to see a doctor and fill a prescription.

Alliance members have sent over 10,000 messages this week to Congress and governors, urging them to oppose any efforts to block or weaken key provisions of the law.  The organization also ran a full-page ad in Roll Call [ http://bit.ly/eGHFEg ], praising the law for lowering the cost of prescription drugs; eliminating co-pays and deductibles for preventive tests and screenings; providing a free annual wellness visit with a doctor; and helping early retirees keep their health care coverage.  The law extends the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund for 12 years by eliminating wasteful subsidies to big insurance corporations.

“It is imperative that Congress help America’s seniors by preserving these benefits,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance, adding, “After years of Medicare taking better care of insurance companies than retirees, we've finally begun to move in the right direction.  Repealing these new benefits would hurt the health and well-being of America’s seniors.”

The Alliance is holding grassroots anniversary events this week in: Pittsburgh (with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius); St. Louis (with HHS Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee); Toledo; Columbia, South Carolina; Chicago; Oakland; Albuquerque; Phoenix; Las Vegas; and Carson City, Nevada.

For more information on Alliance activities and fact sheets on health reform, visit http://bit.ly/cQTDL9.

Contact: David Blank (202) 637-5275 or dblank@retiredamericans.org


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