Published: November 14, 2009 06:28 pm      

Hill: Health care reform won’t cut into Medicare

Hill blames anti-health care groups for spreading false rhetoric

Rep. Baron Hill blamed groups “outside Indiana” for spreading what he called disingenuous claims about the impact health care reform would have on Medicare.

Since voting in favor of the Affordable Health Care for America Act in the House, Hill said he’s heard from several Southern Indiana senior citizens that are worried about what the measure would entail for their Medicare benefits.

Hill said many seniors have been misled by groups such as 60 Plus Association into believing their Medicare coverage would be devalued by the proposed health care reform that is now being considered by the Senate.

“The Affordable Health Care for America Act will not result in cuts to Medicare benefits,” Hill, a Democrat, said. “Even the nonpartisan outlet FactCheck.org called such claims about Medicare cuts ‘simply rubbish.’”

If passed, the reform would impact Medicare patients by lowering drug costs, ensuring free preventive care, and eliminating copayments.

The act would also “ensure Medicare is affordable for those with low and modest incomes.”

The group 60 Plus Association is basically the antithesis of AARP — which has endorsed the health care reform measure. With television ads running in several districts of House Democrats that voted in favor of the act, 60 Plus Association has come out in staunch opposition to the package. The House version of the reform proposes $500 billion in savings in Medicare costs over a 10-year run — money that would be saved by cutting down on fraud and waste.

But Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, voted against the plan in the House in part because he believes it won’t balance spending.

“Medicare’s current unfunded liabilities are some $37 trillion, and Medicaid is close behind at around $35 trillion. This is money we don’t have, money we’ll have to borrow from foreign countries or raise here at home through tax increases,” Oberstar said.

As health care continues to be one of the hottest issues in the nation, those against the reform have increased efforts to lobby against its passage since the House approved the bill.

The biggest health insurer in the nation, UnitedHealth Group, asked its 75,000 employees this week to write letters to their senators asking them not to vote for the act.

Though Hill has already voted, he said he's still open to discuss the health care act.

“I would encourage those with questions about this bill and how it might impact them to please contact my office,” Hill said.