Stop the Privatization of Medicare

Jul 31, 2007 10:54 AM

Passed by the Retired Teachers’ Chapter membership meeting on May 13, 2007 and now goes to the Delegate Assembly of the UFT.

WHEREAS Medicare is becoming privatized as a result of a subsidy being granted by the U.S. government to privatize Medicare health plans known as Medicare Advantage, and

WHEREAS these subsidies to private plans amount to 12% per beneficiary above the funding for a beneficiary under traditional Medicare, and

WHEREAS a distinction needs to be made between non-profit and profit-making Medicare Advantage plans since the latter plans go against the philosophy and practice of Medicare as a government program dedicated solely to the interests of its beneficiaries, and

WHEREAS profit-making Medicare Advantage plans consume huge Medicare dollars in marketing and administrative costs thus depriving other Medicare beneficiaries of improved benefits, therefore be it

RESOLVED that we urge the elimination of the subsidy granted profit-making Medicare Advantage plans and use the money saved to benefit all Medicare recipients, and be it finally

RESOLVED that we oppose the privatization of Medicare in the form of profit-making Medicare Advantage plans