Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for both older and disabled individuals. Although the elderly clearly are a group having increased medical needs, the present commentary focuses on how proposed universal health insurance might if adopted affect Medicare-covered disabled persons. Since the age range of this Medicare-insured sector includes many who are in their younger years, there is a longer period of time to have to deal with health insurance issues.

It is recognized that the Medicare program is in need of reform, and this can selectively be done in areas that can be improved. Uncertainty is the concern surrounding proposed universal health insurance. Health consumers become skittish when a 1,000-plus page health insurance bill is presented for passage and its specific contents are unknown. Here is where disabled persons might first wonder about Medicare changes as it affects them.

Another issue is the implications of introduced legislation to expand the role of the independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) so that it would have authority to set health provider reimbursement. Currently, MedPAC only makes recommendations to Congress for its consideration.

Lastly, it has been openly stated that much of the funding for universal health insurance would come from Medicare cost reduction. Medicare already has restrictions on health services for disabled persons. To what extent would these restrictions broaden under proposed universal health insurance?

In summary, there is a lot unknown as to just how Medicare-covered disabled individuals would fare within the universal health insurance system as it is now being presented. Disabled people covered by Medicare insurance might benefit not only by further informing themselves about how universal health insurance will affect them, but also contacting their district legislators with any input, questions, or concerns they have.

rcschultz@embarqmail.com
www.publishedauthors.net/ronaldschultz