Bring Medicare Home!

Submitted by Eric Lachica, Organizer

Dear NaFFAA Leaders: We, Filipino Americans, medical professionals, retirees and community advocates, thank you for supporting our campaign to convince the U.S. President and Congress to allow Medicare to pay top Philippine hospitals for our seniors health care when they visit or reside there. We earned it We are retiring at the rate of 100 PER DAY. We are part of the daily "tsunami" of 10,000 baby boomers. Under U.S. law, we can take our Social Security pensions anywhere in the world but not Medicare. With decades of work, we have paid into Medicare. We deserve Medicare benefits at accredited PH hospitals and with out-patient services there. Portability is part of the solution According to their Trustees, Medicare may go bankrupt in 2024. Medicare can save at least 50 percent in costs if they allow beneficiaries to be treated in the PH. If 200,000 retirees choose to reside in the PH, the estimated annual Medicare cost savings could be $1,000,000,000 (1 Billion) or more. This savings could help meet our investments in job creation, education, infrastructure and small businesses or reduce the explosive budget deficit. Can this be done? Precedents: US citizen residents of Guam because of proximity are allowed to obtain medical necessary treatment in Philippine hospitals that meet Joint Commission International (JCI) standards. They first pay out-of-pocket their hospitalization and ER expenses. They later file claims to be reimbursed by Medicare.

Moreover, TRICARE and the VA reimburse thousands of U.S. military retirees who live in the Philippines. How about preventing fraud? We are aiming for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow Medicare Advantage (Part C) insurance companies to pay directly the top Philippine hospitals and their doctors for treating American retirees. These JCI accredited hospitals would demonstrate accountability, high quality of care, standardization of professional fees and use of electronic health records (EHR) to meet strict CMS rules. Fraud would be reduced to almost zero. The CMS study of the results would validate the dramatic savings and quality care in a trial period.

San Francisco veterans, seniors & families 6/13

Update: Overcoming Obstacles

Yes, there are challenges in achieving full Medicare coverage being extended to the PH. However, there are four promising developments to address the pressures facing the Medicare system (that may go bankrupt in 2024, say their Trustees). 1. Favorable media coverage on the Medicare portability proposal. The Center for Medicare Portability.org is led by an experienced and influential group of legislative experts and healthcare industry lobbyists.

retirees and family members through a network of approved providers. Wow! They will not have to file claims anymore. Review www.tricare-overseas.com. See the established rates and stringent accountability requirements. What can be done for US military retirees in the PH should be good for our Medicare beneficiaries. 3. Medicare Advantage Part C insurance companies like United Healthcare have temporary (up to 6 months) emergency international coverage. They are endorsed by the AARP. See their website (UHC.com) and benefit handbook. At the suggestion of a key congressional staff, we aim to expand this temporary provision so that long term coverage would be possible to benefit current and future retirees. Thus costs can be reduced (50%) for all. Joint Commission International accredited Philippine hospitals with their approved physicians would directly benefit and more create jobs for unemployed PH nurses and support staff there. Just imagine what they would mean for future savings for Medicare Advantage companies that deliver quality and accountability for US retirees. The United Physician International (www.upihealth.info) is a model for independent physician groups and select insurance companies. 4. Guam, a US territory, is now sending thousands of their Medicare patients, and also their Medicaid beneficiaries (30K) to JCI accredited hospitals in the PH, according to their Governor's office. With a positive attitude, we can solve problems in these challenging times of the Budget Control Act. We can help in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. (July 25, 2013) In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity... Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. Albert Einstein

2. The US military TRICARE health system is up and running with the Philippine Demonstration project (started April). It is serving more than 10,000 beneficiaries. International SOS Assistance Inc. is the program contractor. It is administering full coverage high quality care to US military

US Medicare PH, Inc.

www.usmedicareph.org
1825 Great Falls St. McLean VA PH: 202-246-1998 E-mail: usmedicareph@gmail.com