Sebelius touts health law for 'bolstering' Medicare

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' comments were made during a White House-sponsored town hall meeting for senior citizens. Meanwhile, new figures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services indicate that some Medicare beneficiaries are not taking advantage of some of the new benefits.

The Hill: Sebelius: Medicare 'Stronger Than Ever' Due To Health Care Law
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius praised the health care reform law Monday for bolstering Medicare and appeared to criticize GOP proposals that would partially privatize the program. "Before the [health care] law passed, there were gaps in Medicare coverage," Sebelius said at a town hall on seniors' health sponsored by the White House. "When you add all the savings in the law up, the average Medicare beneficiary will save $4,200 over the next nine years. And those seniors with high drug costs will see even greater benefits" (Viebeck, 6/11).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Seniors Missing Out On Some New Medicare Benefits
Nationally, about 3.6 percent of beneficiaries, or 1.1 million seniors, have used the visits since January. The wellness visit is not a physical exam. Instead, it's a time for the doctor to draw up an individual health plan for the patient, including setting up a schedule to get certain screenings and updating a patient's family and medical history (Galewitz, 6/11).