Vern Buchanan notches another major legislative win

Legislation by U.S> Rep. Vern Buchanan to save Medicare Advantage plans for seniors was approved by Congress this week and is ready for a signature from the president.

“We need to protect Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations,” Buchanan said. “Thousands of seniors in Florida depend on these plans to meet their medical needs day in and day out and my bill ensures that they will not be unfairly terminated.”

Buchanan’s bill was rolled into the “21st Century Cures Act,” which also contains provisions to combat the opioid crisis, boost research and fight cancer.

The bill passed the House with a 392-26 vote, and Wednesday the Senate voted 94-5 in favor of the bill.

Without Buchanan’s proposal, many Medicaid Advantage plans would have been terminated due to a flawed rating system widely criticized by both parties, forcing thousands of seniors to find new health plans.

The Sarasota Congressman touted the bill’s passage as his “fourth major legislative win” in the 114th Congress in a Thursday email.

Buchanan’s earlier victories include a bill allowing veterans to receive an official identification card, legislation to protect taxpayers’ Social Security numbers and a law to end taxpayer rip-offs in federally subsidized public housing.

All three of Buchanan’s earlier victories have been signed into law, leading the 10-year Congressman to call this his most successful term yet when it comes to passing legislation he wrote and introduced.