Monday, May 14, 2007

Regarding the May 6 editorial "Unsustainable Medicare":

Requiring higher-income Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher premiums for prescription coverage may sound sensible, but it would hurt millions of unsuspecting middle-income seniors.

Although the editorial cited two sources of Medicare's funding -- payroll taxes and general revenue -- it neglected to mention consumer premiums. Medicare Part B premiums have been rising an average of 12 percent over the past five years, and this year's trustees report forecasts a similar increase for Part D in the near future.

As a result, many seniors are seeing their annual cost-of-living adjustments wiped out by premium increases. And although higher-income seniors might not feel the pinch, the Bush proposal not to adjust income levels for inflation means that more middle-income seniors would pay higher premiums each year. Plus, Congress has already considered proposals to drop the "high-income" threshold for individuals from $80,000 to $60,000.

Charging higher-income Americans more for prescription drugs sounds like a good idea -- but the middle class would suffer.

SHANNON BENTON

Executive Director

Senior Citizens League

Alexandria