Lowey Tells Seniors Defunding ObamaCare would Reduce Medicare Benefits

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D- Westchseter/Rockland) told Port Chester seniors that House Republicans refusing to fund the government unless Congress “guts” the Affordable Care Act would have costly repercussions for seniors at the Port Chester senior center Wednesday.

A defunding would “roll back Medicare Benefits, increase prescription drug prices for thousands of seniors and put Americans’ health care decisions back in the hands of insurance companies,” Lowey said. 

The congresswomen also discussed the potential of a government shutdown on Oct. 1, when the government’s fiscal year ends, and urged House leaders to support a compromise plan that averts a shutdown. 

“By refusing to fund the government unless Congress rolls back the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans have set us on a path to disastrous government shutdown,” she said. “A shutdown would hurt our economy through cuts or delays to paychecks for federal employees, shuttering economic engines including federal parks and other sites, and calling into question the U.S. government’s credit rating.”

Lowey called for a Congress to pass a compromise that preserves the ACA, averts a government shutdown and strengthens the economy.

More from Lowey’s press release:

Improvements made to Medicare under the Affordable Care Act have resulted in prescription drug discounts totaling $14.6 million for more than 9,10 seniors in the 17th District, with each person receiving an average discount of $750 in 2011, $820 in 2012, and $530 in 2013. If the law were defunded, those 9,100 seniors in Medicare’s so-called ‘donut hole’ would be forced to pay an average of $820 more for their drugs.

If the Act were defunded, seniors would lose their free preventive services from Medicare, including bone density tests, mammograms and annual wellness visits. She said 16,832 seniors would lose access to their Medicare Advantage plans as well.