WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, following a decision by the Biden administration to cut Medicare Advantage benefits for the second year in a row, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement. Since being elected to the Senate, Senator Scott has fought to preserve and protect the benefits of programs like Medicare and Social Security. This Medicare Advantage benefits cut will result in the 2.8 million Florida seniors currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage, many of whom live on a fixed income, having their supplemental benefits reduced by $33 per month, or $396 per year. In Florida, 58% of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage. Last year, Senator Scott introduced the Protect Our Seniors Act to preserve and protect Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Senator Rick Scott said, “President Biden has no plan to protect Social Security, and now he just cut Medicare benefits. Biden’s war on seniors is disastrous – especially for seniors on fixed incomes who are already struggling with skyrocketing inflation. The takeaway from Biden’s actions is clear: Democrats don’t give a damn about the 2.8 MILLION Florida seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage who will see costs go up by nearly $400 a year. Nearly 60% of Florida’s Medicare beneficiaries choose Medicare Advantage because it works. I will be fighting like hell to reverse this terrible decision that hurts our seniors and pass my Protect Our Seniors Act to stop Biden’s horrible war on seniors that is devastating for so many older Floridians.”

Senator Scott’s Protect Our Seniors Act includes three key provisions to protect the benefits of Social Security and Medicare and promote the long-term solvency of these critical programs:

1. Rescinds funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for 87,000 new IRS agents and redirects those funds to the Medicare and Social Security Administration Trust Funds to help shore up the solvency of each program.
2. Creates a Budget Point of Order, and requires a two-thirds vote, against any legislation that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determines would reduce or cut existing Medicare and Social Security benefits.
3. Amends CBO scoring laws such that savings to Medicare cannot be used to offset or pay-for spending outside of Medicare.

• NOTE: This tactic was used by Democrats for the “infrastructure bill” as well as the Inflation Reduction Act where Medicare savings were used as ‘pay-fors’ for green new deal projects and other wasteful spending.

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