FIGHTING FOR SENIORS  

Senator Mikulski Fought for Health Reform that Strengthens and Improves Medicare  

·  Medicare is Now Financially Solvent Until 2029  

·  Closing the "Doughnut Hole": Too many seniors hit the gap in their prescription drug 
   coverage – also known as the "doughnut hole" – when their drug expenses reach a certain 
   amount of money.  Last year, health reform gave more than 41,000 Maryland seniors who 
   hit the "doughnut hole" a $250 rebate check.  Now, Maryland seniors who enter the "doughnut 
   hole" receive a 50% discount on their brand-name drugs. By 2020, the "doughnut hole" 
   will no longer exist  

·  New Preventive Benefits:  No senior will pay extra to receive recommended preventive services 
   that will keep them healthier  

·  New Wellness Benefit: Seniors now receive an annual wellness visit at no cost

·  Better Health Care at Lower Costs: Law improves care coordination and patient safety so 
   that seniors get recommended treatments – particularly for reducing costly hospital 
   readmissions and chronic disease care  

·  New Voluntary Long-Term Care Insurance Program (CLASS Act): Helps cover the costs of 
   support services to help with daily activities and allow seniors to age in their communities  

Reform also makes care affordable for older Americans not yet eligible for Medicare by  

·  Ending insurance company discrimination that charges excessive premium rates due 
   to age, gender or pre-existing health conditions

Senator Mikulski supports many other programs for seniors such as Meals-on-Wheels, community service employment, nutrition, vulnerable elder protection and state and community aging programs.  She created the National Family Care Giver Support Program to help families caring for older relatives, and she is a member of the "Protecting Social Security" caucus.

SENATOR MIKULSKI OPPOSES PROPOSALS THAT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT SENIORS IN MARYLAND  

Republicans Propose Gutting Medicare and Medicaid and Eliminating New
Health Protections for Seniors

Senator Mikulski OPPOSES proposals that would:

·  Turn Medicare into a Voucher Program   
       - Resulting in seniors paying significantly more for their health care 
       - And taking away guaranteed benefits from seniors  

·  Repeal the "Doughnut Hole" Fix   
       - Costing average senior in "doughnut hole" approx $11,800 between 2012-2020 
       - More than 41,000 MD seniors would see higher prescription drug costs  

·  Eliminate Protections that Ensure Seniors Receive Free Preventive Health Care 
   and Free Annual Check-Ups   
       - Resulting in 741,000 Maryland seniors being forced to pay a co-pay to receive preventive 
         services – such as mammograms and colonoscopies – and having to pay extra if they 
         want to stay healthy by getting check-ups regularly  

·  Turn Medicaid into a Block-Grant Program   
       - Which could slash $21.3 billion in health benefits from MD over next decade 
       - Could force nearly 246,000 Maryland residents off Medicaid  

·  Privatize Social Security or Cut Benefits for Seniors 
       - More than 830,000 Marylanders count on Social Security benefits to help pay 
         for food, medicine, and housing   
       - Turning the guaranteed, inflation-proof benefits of Social Security into the casino 
         of the stock market is a risk seniors cannot afford  
       - Any plans to cut benefits would hurt the income security of all seniors and have a 
         devastating effect on the 234,000 Maryland seniors that Social Security lifts out of poverty

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