WEST PALM BEACH, FL-- Humana offices in West Palm Beach were the scene of a demonstration Tuesday at noon.
Some area seniors, along with members of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, are protesting misinformation sent out by Humana regarding healthcare reform and Medicare.
Humana was sanctioned by the federal government for falsely warning seniors that health insurance reform would cut their healthcare benefits.
Humana later issued this response:
Here are our statements on the Humana letter sent to Medicare Advantage members recently, as well as our position on health reform:
"Humana is cooperating with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to resolve this matter. We reviewed CMS guidance and believe these informational and educational materials did not require a filing with the agency. Humana supports health reforms that guarantee coverage for everyone and don't require people with pre-existing conditions to pay higher premiums. We also believe Medicare Advantage members deserve to know the impact that funding cuts of the magnitude being discussed would have on benefits and premiums.The Partners Web site has been taken down and there have been no Partners mailings since Sept. 11."
On health reform:
"Humana believes every American should have affordable, quality health care coverage. Health care reform must first and foremost address rising costs, and we need a system that creates health. Currently, 70 percent of health care costs go toward preventable, chronic disease."
On Medicare Advantage:
"Medicare Advantage plans work to keep people healthy, with chronic care and wellness programs that aren't available in original Medicare. More than 10-million seniors have chosen Medicare Advantage, and surveys show they're overwhelmingly satisfied."
By the way, Humana is Florida's largest Medicare health benefits company, with nearly half a million members statewide, including more than 375,000 Medicare Advantage members.
