1.1 Million Senior Citizens Would Benefit In Various Ways

• Health coverage for those who retire early will be supported. Even though 157,000 early retirees have special coverage through their employers, such coverage is becoming rarer. The new system would offer reinsurance to help stabilize the coverage and help lower premiums for existing employees and the early retirees. It could make as much as $1200 difference in premiums for families.
  
  
• Their premiums would be lowered because Medicare would no longer be overpaying private healthcare insurance plans. Presently even the 87% of senior citizens not taking part in Medicare Advantage are overpaying thanks to high premiums. Most couples pay about $90 extra annually to help fund private healthcare plans. The new reform bill cuts such payments.
  
  
• There would be major savings on prescription drug costs. About 203,000 beneficiaries of Medicare in the state fall into the "doughnut hole" of coverage. This can mean on average $4080 in out-of-pocket costs annually. However, the reform bill would slash this amount by 50%.
  
  
• Free preventative services would be covered. Any recommended preventative testing would be free of charge. Presently a $707 colonoscopy is billed to senior citizenss at $16,410. Free wellness visits would also be covered.