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As some of the changes made by federal health care reform are set to go in effect Thursday, more than 800 seniors heard how the law would affect them and Medicare at the 2010 Senior Fair on Tuesday at the Salina Bicentennial Center.

"Our main goal is to provide accurate information to folks (about health care reform)," said Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center. "They are hearing a lot of negative things, but not a lot of positive things, about the new law."

Baker said his organization, a New York-based nonprofit group that provides services for Medicare patients, is not trying to be a cheerleader for the law but wants to get accurate information about the law to people.

"The great thing about people on Medicare is that they are really engaged," Baker said. "They love the program, depend on Medicare a lot and worry about it. It is always good to get the questions."

While there's talk of repealing the law, Baker doesn't foresee that happening any time soon.

"When it comes down to it, people are seeing the benefits of health care reform and they are flowing to people," Baker said. "It will be harder to repeal it because all of the pieces are interconnected and you cannot pick and choose. I don't think we will see wholesale repeal."

It actually saves money

Baker said health care reform won't increase the federal deficit but will actually decrease it by $124 billion over 10 years, according to a study released by the Congressional Budget Office.

"A lot of people are worried that this is taking too much money out of the Medicare system," Baker said between discussions at the fair. "My answer is we are taking money out of the rate of growth in reimbursements to providers."

Under the new legislation, Baker said, doctors will not see cuts in government funding of Medicare, but will see a lower growth rate of new money.

"The providers told us they believe they can achieve savings through this cut, but not affect services," Baker told the crowd.

Change to Medicare Advantage

Baker said the biggest change would come in Medicare Advantage, a private-sector program paid for by the government that was designed as an experiment to see if the private sector could offer new benefits to people on Medicare. Baker said the government paid Medicare Advantage more money than it paid out through Medicare.

"The government has found that paying more money to Medicare Advantage is unjustified," Baker told the group of seniors.

Baker said the government will drop Medicare Advantage rates back to the level of current Medicare funding but that companies involved in Medicare Advantage are looking for ways to keep intact benefits, such as gym memberships or dental insurance.

Baker said the main concern is actually a 21 percent cut to funds paid to doctors. That was passed in 1997 as part of the Balanced Budget Act. He said the legislation has been pushed along every year or two without taking effect.

"We need Congress to pass it along again this year," Baker said.

Another attempt to save money in Medicare would include investigating possible fraud and abuse by providers and others involved in the health care system.

'Twisted information'

"I am really skeptical about an awfully lot that was said, especially about it reducing medical costs," Raymond Pachta, chairman of the board of directors for the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, said after hearing Baker speak.

Baker said the majority of the information being heard by individuals about health care reform has been misinformation that "scares" people with Medicare.

"We get a bunch of calls that benefits are going to be cut or the Medicare program is going to be weakened or about death panels," Baker said between the discussions. "We are dealing with them on a one-on-one basis, but we felt it was important to barnstorm and get the information out there."

Jim Beck, of Clay Center, said he had heard a lot of "twisted" information about health care reform and wanted to get some answers.

"This was a place to get very reliable information," Beck said after listening to Baker speak. "It is very hard to find reliable information on this subject. Sometimes it may be partially true but doesn't give the whole picture."

It's a new foundation

Beck and his wife, Ginny, said Baker and others provided good information, but Pachta said he had more questions after the discussion.

"Basically, what the panel was saying was a plug for the health reform act," Pachta said. "It is awfully hard for it to not become a political thing. I don't think there ever could be enough time for questions."

Baker said he thinks Congress will have time to address issues in health care reform that pop up over the time it is implemented.

"Even if you think something is bad, it isn't going to happen immediately," Baker said between discussions. "It will not just happen next year, if we find we are taking too much out of hospitals, we have time to fix it. Nothing is ever completely done. Are all of our problems solved? No. I believe this gives us a new foundation."

nReporter Chris Hunter can be reached at 822-1422 or by e-mail at chunter@salina.com.

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