AMAC EXCLUSIVE
Although Joe Biden is facing dismal poll numbers with virtually every demographic, the one surprising bright spot for the president has been his relatively strong performance with seniors. But cuts to Medicare Advantage benefits could threaten that support and leave Biden facing an impossible situation this November.
According to a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll from April, Biden leads Trump by one point in a two-way race for the White House among voters aged 65 or older. Another Siena College/New York Times poll from last month found Biden to have an even bigger advantage, 51 percent to 42 percent. Either result would represent a remarkable turnaround for Biden after he lost that age group by four points in 2020.
One likely reason for this apparent resurgence is that the Biden campaign has pursued an aggressive (and dishonest) strategy of claiming that former President Donald Trump will implement cuts to Social Security and Medicare. During multiple public appearances in recent weeks, Biden has insisted that Trump is “determined to cut Social Security and Medicare.”
In fact, precisely the opposite is true – Trump has pledged to “never do anything” to Social Security or Medicare, while Biden’s agenda threatens the financial viability of the programs and inflation eats into beneficiaries’ payouts.
Nevertheless, the Biden campaign is desperate to expand its lead with seniors as the president bleeds support from young and minority voters – typically two key pillars of the Democrat coalition. According to a Bloomberg report, across multiple battleground states, the Biden campaign is sponsoring senior-oriented events like bingo tournaments as well as airing attack ads against Trump at peak senior citizen viewing hours. The consistent focus of these ads is accusing Trump of planning to cut Medicare and Social Security.
But the problem with this attack strategy is that Biden has already made cuts to some Medicare services.
As recently reported by Axios, the Biden administration just reduced base payments for Medicare Advantage plans for the second consecutive year.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a plan offered by private insurers that includes all the benefits of traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) along with additional services like vision, dental, and prescription drug coverage. One of its main benefits is the inclusion of extra services not covered by traditional Medicare. Additionally, Medicare Advantage often provides lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs, although it typically requires members to use a network of approved healthcare providers. This can lead to more comprehensive and potentially cost-effective healthcare coverage for beneficiaries.
In total, more than 31 million Americans receive benefits through Medicare Advantage plans, which are particularly important for middle- and low-income seniors. On average, beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage save about $2,400 per year compared to traditional Medicare. 52 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees live below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, compared to 36 percent of traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
Not only will Medicare Advantage recipients see their funding drop, but they will also be required to provide more documentation to receive any financial support. With compensation now more directly linked to health conditions, enrollees will likely be compelled to submit multiple requests to receive the money they would otherwise already be entitled to, with no assurance that their application will be approved.
This shift will likely lead to a decrease in access to healthcare. According to Raymond James analyst Chris Meekins, “President Biden’s team is betting that MA beneficiaries won’t realize before the election the benefits Biden’s team is causing them to lose come January 2025.”
Moreover, as The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has pointed out, “Medicare Advantage plans send notices of annual plan changes in the autumn—a few weeks before the November election. Seniors may be in for a rude cost and benefit shock when they try to renew. If seniors like their doctor, they might not be able to keep her.”
In response to the cuts, AMAC Action, the advocacy wing of the Association of Mature American Citizens, sent an open letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services blasting the decision. “The Biden administration’s cuts to Medicare Advantage will force private insurers to reduce benefits, purge plans, and withdraw from some markets, leaving seniors with less choice and higher costs,” the letter reads.
In a prepared statement, AMAC Action President Bob Carlstrom called the Medicare Advantage cuts “an attack on America’s seniors.”
“These very popular plans deliver great health outcomes while offering tremendous value to beneficiaries, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet thanks to Bidenomics,” Carlstrom continued. “Medicare Advantage has also been proven to lower health expenditures and we ardently advise this administration to strengthen this program instead of weakening it.”
Biden could be facing a brewing electoral disaster when it comes to his support among seniors as a result of these cuts. While older Americans are already unlikely to support a politician cutting their Medicare benefits, they are even more unlikely to tolerate a leader who falsely accuses his opponent of cutting Medicare while himself doing that very thing.
Andrew Shirley is a veteran speechwriter and AMAC Newsline columnist. His commentary can be found on X at @AA_Shirley.
For help with Medicare Advantage plans – or any questions you may have about Medicare – contact AMAC’s Medicare Advisory Service at 1-855-611-4856
Stop Biden from funding illegal aliens. If he would do that there would be plenty of senior citizen money left to pay for services.
He probably forgets the money in the SS count was earned and paid into the fund by senior citizens.
This is what this administration has done all through their presidency. They accuse Donald Trump of doing wrong all while actually doing it themselves. It’s the standard procedure for this administration. It’s called bait and switch. Or watch my left hand while I steal from you with my right hand. Worst administration ever.
Medicare is already denying legitimate claims for those of us who have funded it for a lifetime while they are giving free healthcare to illegals. They are spending our tax money to buy votes while draining us of our retirement savings. Socialism and communism extremist.
Biden is nothing more than a classic lier who’d rather blame others for his failures rather than taking responsibility for them . We can’t get rid of this guy soon enough
He keeps talking about lower costs for insulin. Do you know that Medicare and Supplemental insurance on top of that do not cover needles for the daily insulin. I take five shots a day. They give free needles to druggies.
That’s very hard for me to believe Biden’s leading Trump by 1 point .
There are people who prefer to believe chronic liars such as Joe Biden because they can’t ell the difference between an egg and a horse yet believe in some lowlife squatter who btw is a known racist and white supremacist (documented and filmed). The virus known as Biden hasn’t demonstrated any integrity and honesty and there’s no reason to think he will at any time before he craps out. It is Joe Biden himself who wants to make these cuts and others, and not Prez T who has commited himself to the betterment of all Americans and not just a few such as seen in the likes of the racist/neonazi-endorsed Joe Biden.
BIDEN IS A CROOKED MORON, WHO WANTS TO ELIMINATE SENIORS AND THE HARD WOKING MIDDLECLASS, THIS IDIOT WANTS ALSO WANTS TO GET OF MEDICARE AND OUR SOCIAL SECURITY. VOTE FOR TRUMP AND WE WILL ALL LIVE BETTER!
That’s very hard to believe Biden’s leading by 1 point
Biden is evil. Completely disqusting. This last stupid move is definitely going to ensure Trump wins the 2024 Presidential election. We will definitely let everyone we know, whether a Senior or have a relative who is their Grandma,Grandpa,Great Aunt
I find it pathetic that the dimwit in the WH is cutting Medicare plans, which he will never have to participate in….his medical care is furnished by a platinum plan, JUST LIKE ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!! Benefits for all three branches of the government need to be overhauled to match what we, US citizens, are subject to. I don’t believe they have to pay Social Security/Medicare taxes out of their paychecks either. What a scam the government gravy train has become!
The bottom line is that we have less Medicare funding due to “President” Biden diverting more of it to entities that he thinks will help get him re-elected.
He’s obviously not worth a proverbial “wooden nickel”, due to his job performance, but he fancies himself as being worth his fake 2020 election AND the expense to seniors and others among our population whom he’s already cheated for many years by way of his thoughtless, arrogant, and downright abominable leadership.
On the other hand, there is potential to save a fortune if we can relocate this piece of work to a jail cell. Come to think of it, he could occupy the same cell as his filthy son !
This is what this administration has done all through their presidency. They accuse Donald Trump of doing wrong all while actually doing it themselves. It’s the standard procedure for this administration. It’s called bait and switch. Or watch my left hand while I steal from you with my right hand. Worst administration ever.
You have to pay for all the illegals somehow
If word really gets out on these medicare “Advantage Plan” cuts seniors will be dumping Biden like they should have long ago for the sheer incompetence of his administration.
I could write a book about this Loser-in-Chief, I am old and do not want to waste time. Diaper Joe is a lying marxist (I will never capitalize that word) degenerate, and evil beyond belief. Let’s get rid of him this November, OK? ‘Nuff said!
Medicare and Medicare Advantage has been slowly whittled down since ObammaCare.
The day ObammaCare was passed, I was sitting in my great doctor’s office. A Nurse came in and said, “Your Doctor has just retired, your new Doctor is a woman from the Philippines”.
It further came out that Obama stole billions from Medicare to finance his plan. Great guys.
The minute Biden started messing with Medicare benefits, he lost the support of my entire family (all of voting age). Nice going, Mr. President!
Is there anything this rat won’t do? Billions sent overseas. Withholding Billions allocated from Israel. Millions coming across the border. Foreigners criminals being emptied onto American soils. Flying illegal immigrants all over the country. Advocating for the death of millions of babies. Transgender acceptance and proliferation. If he were Satan himself what more could he do to destroy this nation. Now he wants to cut elderly Americans benefits.
Stealing from hard-working, taxpaying senior citizens, who paid into the system all their lives, to benefit Biden’s millions of illegals that he invited into this country, no doubt.
I can’t believe Biden is leading in the polls by so much with seniors. I’m sure Trump’s supporters are aware of this. Time for action!
Republicans need to put out a commercial exactly what Biden is doing to our Advantage Programs. It seems that some of the Seniors don’t seem to care about what is going on in politics. AARP has always been for the Democrats well someone needs to wake their butts up. Democrats are not for Seniors or the Middle Class.
I am a senior and a vet he does nothing for anyone that is a citizen here in this country he will never get my vote.
Let’s face it, good people, the new Fascist Democratic Party would like to get rid of anyone over the age of 70. Remember the Kenyan Sotoro known as Obama the Devil and his health advisor, Cass Sunstein, and his statement regarding eliminating the elderly.
The fact that Brandon & his surrogates are accusing DJT of the same thing he and his Communist cronies are doing, simply reinforces the idea that if you want to know who is guilty of untoward behavior, simply listen to what they are saying and understand that whom there accusing us irrelevant. Rather, Brandon and the Communists are guilty and those they accuse are not.
Just another to add to the hundred reasons not to vote for Biden…and TO vote for DJTrump.
Joe doesn’t need our votes. They will soon begin printing ballots in China. Joe will win by a comfortable margin. It’s already in the bag.
BRANDON ONLY LEADS IN BOOB OF THE YEAR AWARD
The current administration is governing “how much money can I get from these seniors, their pensions and most of all their fat IRA’s”. All seniors should know ole Joe. He never has done anything on his own always supported another senator’s coattails. Especially KKK senators. Why they would vote for this lying dictator. I don’t understand. The dems with the ultra left, the Iran Squad, Soros and other elites have done a good job of brainwashing the people of America. What they accuse Trump of they have done in spades themselves. Total control of the people by the deep state and the puppet Obiden. We can’t understand him when he says something, but above all what has he done FOR America? Bringing her down and weak all around the world. Any senior voting for ole Joe will be disappointed in a grand way what they have done. And will pay for it by having to go on the dole.
I can’t believe that Trump is ahead of Biden with seniors.
I always hang up when anybody calls to ask if I want to take part in a political survey. I wonder how many others are like me, seeing the DOJ’s attack on Trump, believe that the dems are capable of running fake surveys so they can do the same to us as they’ve been doing to Trump.
While I oppose Biden, I also believe that Medicare Advantage is a scam. It sells lower quality healthcare disguised as added benefits. Buyers essentially give an insurance company operating for profit total control of their healthcare as if that company has the patient’s best interest at heart over company profits. They don’t, but once selected, the buyer is locked in to Advantage and will find it hard to back out. It may cost a bit more, but Basic Medicare with a good supplement keeps the buyer in control of their healthcare which I believe is a wiser choice. Advantage providers are planning on major reductions in benefits because they aren’t making enough profit.
Where Have All the Leaders GoneByGary Phillips and a little help from Peter, Paul and Mary’s song.Where have all the Leaders gone
Long time passing
Where does common sense reside
From a long time ago
Where have all the leaders gone
Recent young have not yet learned
To think ahead and regard us all
When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn
When did the Constitution mean so less
Who stole our freedoms and made this mess
Can we heal and turn back to “love thy neighbor”
When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.
The Republic is an equal shared idea
Democracy favors one half plus one
The masses need to speak their mind
And demand that things get done
No more power to Congress
Thats given by our own digress
We, the People, make America work
Not Olympians who crafted this mess.
Who turned our rules against us
And Confused our everyday life
With the trivial disguised as Paramount
And pushed quickly to develop strife.
Where do all the sheep reside
From a long time past
California, where mistakes repeat
And prayers to Aztec gods will last
Millennials and Gen x are not prepared
They quake at challenges and remain scared
They follow mob rule and cannot lead
They are loosing what we once cared
Where do all the heroes live
They must step up and lead our nation
They are needed more than ever, now
They must be prepared and act without reservation
When will WE ever learn, when will WE ever learn?
In a time when distractions are high and smoke screens cover the real issues like truths that preserve our nation (like our rights and freedoms). We need those who can lead us away from the trivial and focus on the important issues that make us unique and the greatest nation in the world. We have lost the respect of our allies and our neighbors. Those radical opportunists in our government who seek power for themselves only and who do harm to our society to gain that power and control, I say “Love us or Leave us!” We need leaders who have our history in mind and our future filled with OUR dreams in the forefront. We need leaders that can act unselfishly in OUR best interests to make the USA great again.
Gary Phillips
Kissimmee, Florida
Re-write-5/18/2024 from 10/21/2023.
I have resisted signing up for Part C for this very reason. Too many changes. How many political candidates, besides Trump, have kept their promises? Not Biden, for sure, he doesn’t even remember making promises!
biden hates american citizens so anything he can do to hurt Americans makes him happy.
Good grief. All seniors know that Medicare would love to get rid of all Supplemental plans because they cost the govt too much. The govt wants everybody on Advantage and out of Supplemental. Before you make any Medicare decision know, I mean know, what Supplemental offers. The govt hopes you never find out.
I would expect AARP to put out this “deceptive” article – knowing full well that the government funding – your tax dollars – is not going to seniors but to insurance companies that “fane” they are helping seniors. Have you not heard this song before. I was a doctor and got to see the lies that “Advantage” anything means there are middle man between you and your alloted health care payment – unless you want low quality. Advantage to the fat cats – not senoirs – tell the truth
If you are smart enough to have Medicare Supplemental ( also referred to as “original medicare”) NEVER give it up. NEVER I don’t care if Advantage promises to pay your mortgage
He hates seniors. First taxing Social Security and now attacking Advantage plans. He should look in the mirror. But he doesn’t need it. He and his slimy son have accumulated money from their schemes.
Biden is busy as a bee making one mess after another, and 0nly those who are as ignorant as he is will vote for him. There’s a lot of them too.
There is a lot of fat in many Advantage plans. Plans should only include medical, dental and vision. So many of them promise $500 a month to be spent on rent, groceries or whatever. That wasn’t the purpose of Medicare. Many plans need the fat removed.
MA people will not realize until after the election. Where in the world are the children of these people? Do they not offer advice as to what is best for them? Biden will tell and SELL them anything to get his sorry behind back as POTUS. If your parents don’t consider your advice, then remind them later that it was THEIR choice, not yours that has so impacted their finances in the worst way. Elderly people KNOW how Biden’s inflation and cost increases have affected their lifestyle and should at least listen to the advice of their children.
Remember the saying (have wisdom) “I am from the government with “Advantage” and I am here to help”!
I have always felt, especially since I regained my senses–most importantly, my sense of survival–and switched from being a liberal to a conservative, that the progressive socialist Democrats were covertly attempting to do away with anyone over the age of 70. With their policies regarding senior citizens, one can discern that they would prefer we just go off in the corner, or out in the woods, and die without any complaints. And, of course, we all know their true feelings regarding the youngest among us–the babies and children–whom they kill, maim and mutilate at will. According to an old adage, our place in history will be decided based on how our society treated its most vulnerable (the elderly and the very young). So, when future generations look back on our time in history, they will classify us as savages who totally disregarded the sanctity of life.
Hi, Could you please provide examples the the Biden cuts? This will allow us to better understand the situation.
Thank you.
Another opportunity for AMAC to mobilize the membership with a Call to Action for use to use in contacting our federal reps regarding this issue and where WE stand!
There is no “maybe” we all shall sh*^ can that puppet of the real naysayers, and vote Trump. All the hollow predictions – what is that? He does not know what is going on in his world, let alone President Trump’s. What chaos! Well represented presently,
End it, vote Trump, get this county back/
I recently joined AMAC because it claimed to be a conservative organization. Now I read this piece demagoguing Medicare cuts exactly as AARP demagogued George W. Bush’s attempt to privatize Social Security for people under 50. Here is a fact: If every penny of federal spending were eliminated completely (including defense spending) except for Medicare, Social Security and Veterans benefits, the federal government would still be spending more each year than it brings in (deficit spending). The federal budget simply cannot be balanced without cutting spending on these entitlement programs.
AMAC, I expected the honesty from you about our fiscal situation that I expect from conservative leaders and organizations. You failed miserably with this piece and left me seriously questioning my decision to join your organization. Medicare and Social Security will either be reformed or our economy will collapse from the weight of massive deficits and accumulated debt. It’s that simple and seniors should be told the truth.
Biden accuses Trump of cutting seniors benefits, when the whole time he’s cutting them. Sounds like the snake Trump talks about in his rallies.
This is a sneak attack on seniors planned by the biden people. Now that we know about it, what can we do to stop it?
It seems like Biden has gone out of his way to alienate every single faction of his voting base. Is there any group he hasn’t offended/screwed yet? If there is, he has a few more months to piss them off.