Medicare in Arizona is just as complicated as any other state. A state run, federally mandated health insurance for the elderly, Medicare in Arizona is a morass. Now, with a growing climate of budget cuts, Medicare in Arizona may be coming under threat. Only constant activism can prevent cuts.
To understand how threatened Medicare in Arizona is, one must understand what Medicare of Arizona is like. Medicare, along with its companion Medicaid, was signed into law in 1965, as part of the Great Society of the Lyndon Johnson administration. While this was a federally mandated program, states were iin charge of administering it. Thus, Medicare in Arizona is different than, say, Medicare in California or New Mexico.
Medicare in Arizona has helped millions of Arizona seniors. Many who could not otherwise afford health insurance got coverage through Medicare plans Arizona offered. Arizona Medicare plans have paid for doctor office visits, surgeries, nursing homes, and as of 2005, prescription drugs. Arizona Medicare plans have pumped billions of dollars into the Arizona economy.
Today, Medicare in Arizona is under threat. As the mood in Washington tips towards budget cuts, Congress repeatedly threatens Medicare programs. In February, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor even proposed merging parts of Medicare, eliminating coverage. Across the United States, misguided state legislators propose changes that could leave Medicare unfunded. Those voices may not be loud in Phoenix, but one never knows from which corner a butcher appears.
To stop cuts to Medicare in Arizona, it is important seniors write their congressmen and Senators. Seniors must tell of the impact Medicare in Arizona has had on them, and how it has improved quality of life. For good measure, they should also write state legislators who represent them. If they have not joined the American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP, they should consider doing so.
Medicare plans in arizona are under threat. This is not the first time Americans have faced a serious threat. If everyone bands together, Medicare in Arizona can be preserved, and saved for future generations.