Seniors worry about Medicare cuts in their future FayObserver.com
As a nutritionist at Fayetteville Senior Center, Patricia Thompson hears plenty of concerns.
But lately, most of those concerns have centered around the fate of Medicare.
Since the national health care reform bill was signed into law last month, Thompson said, many elderly people have been confused and scared by the government's plan to cut Medicare costs by nearly $400 billion.
"The biggest concern is we don't understand exactly what is happening," she said. "I've heard rumors that Medicare would be eliminated. Some people weren't sure if services would be cut all together, or if they'd have to pay more money. I mean, really, what is this all about? They're not telling people."
Thompson, 64, works at the Blue Street center. She said people have been talking about the changes for months. Some worry they'll lose their coverage, lose important benefits or face increases they can't afford on their fixed incomes.
Frank Sloan, an economist at Duke University, said the health care reform bill shouldn't be a cause for Medicare recipients to panic.
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