Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Congress is still hammering out the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, and some are concerned it could bring substantial changes to the Medicare Advantage program.
Also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage is a program that provides Medicare coverage through private insurance.
Nationwide, about 27 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. That includes more than 2.2 million Floridians — about half of all Medicare-eligible residents — are enrolled in Medicare Advantage.
Depending on what is included in the final reconciliation bill, there could be substantial funding cuts which could, in turn, lead to higher costs for those who currently have a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage recipients are particularly vulnerable to price increases, according to the Coalition for Medicare Choices.
The national grassroots organization, which includes more than 2 million Medicare Advantage recipients, notes that about half of eligible minorities enroll in Medicare Advantage. Additionally, about 40% of Medicare Advantage members make less than $25,000 per year and 57% are women.
The Coalition for Medicare Choices also touts data showing 94% of Medicare Advantage members are satisfied with their coverage, including 61% who say they are “very satisfied.”
Further, about three-quarters of seniors say the federal government should preserve Medicare Advantage funding. The same number said they would be more likely to vote for their member of Congress if they supported additional funding for Medicare Advantage.
Evening Reads
“What’s still in the Dem mega bill? Cheatsheet on 12 big topics” via Jennifer Scholtes, Marianne Levine and Alice Miranda Ollstein of POLITICO
“The world ‘has found a way to do this’: The U.S. lags on paid leave” via Claire Cain Miller of The New York Times
“Opponents of critical race theory seek to flip school boards” via Daniel Figueroa IV of Florida Politics
“Jan. 6 protest organizers say they participated in ‘dozens’ of planning meetings with members of Congress and White House staff” via Hunter Walker of Rolling Stone
“Joe Biden administration takes new steps to boost availability of rapid coronavirus tests” via Yasmeen Abutaleb of The Washington Post
“Lawmakers pitch Addictive Gambling Prevention Program expansion” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
“‘History will not judge us kindly’” via Adrienne LaFrance of The Atlantic
“Is the pandemic rewiring kids’ brains?” via Jackie Mader of The New Republic
“PortMiami goes fishing for more cargo business as ships back up off California coast” via Anna Jean Kaiser of the Miami Herald
“Why Hollywood is reluctant to stop using real guns as props” via Molly Olmstead of Slate
Quote of the Day
“You talk about doctors coming from UCLA? Yeah, we have a Governor who came from Harvard. Hey, he’s not making the best decisions for our children. Where you went to school, it matters not. And now our Surgeon General is trying to play big bad wolf. He’s doing the Governor’s bidding. But he’s doing it at the expense of our children.” — Rep. Travaris McCurdy, on Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo public health guidance.
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