Puget
Sound
Advocates for
Retirement
Action
Working across generations for social justice, economic
security, dignity,
and a healthy planet
for all of us.
PSARA’s Winter Membership Meeting
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December 14, 2023
12:30 - 3:00 pm PST via Zoom
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Featured Speakers:
Washington Attorney General
Bob Ferguson (video)
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Washington State Treasurer
Mike Pellicciotti (live)
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Join us for PSARA's Winter Membership Meeting. We have two great speakers lined up for you: Attorney General Bob Ferguson will speak on video, and State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti will be live. His Legislative and Policy Director, Matt Zuvich, will also join us to answer questions, since the Treasurer has to leave us immediately after his remarks.
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Please note that we're starting at 12:30 p.m., a half hour before the time originally announced, to accomodate our speakers' schedules.
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In addition to our featured speakers, we'll also be electing officers and Executive Board members for two-year terms. If you'd like to be considered for election, please email organizer@psara.org and throw your hat in the ring.
The meeting will be on Zoom. To get the link, watch for PSARA emails. If
you're not on our email list, contact organizer@psara.org.
See you on December 14!
PSARA Zoom Webinar:
Is Medicare Advantage Preying on People of Color?
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Webinar Presenter: Dr. Claudia Fegan, Chief Medical Officer of Cook County Health in Chicago and Immediate Past President of the Health & Medicine Policy Research Group in Illinois, which is committed to building health equity in our health care system. The Webinar will cover the impact of Medicare Advantage on racial disparities in health care outcomes and access to health care services for Medicare beneficiaries.
United Health Care Accused of AI Use to Wrongfully Deny Claims
See Bloomberg Law story: UnitedHealthcare Accused of AI Use to Wrongfully Deny Claims (1)
And an associated story from Center for Medicare Advocacy: STAT News Report Further Exposes Medicare Advantage Misconduct Concerning Prior Authorization Using Restrictive Algorithmic Tools
Report out on PSARA's
Reparations
Workshop
On a gray, damp Saturday afternoon, PSARA members gathered to share their thoughts and to brainstorm about how to advocate for Black Reparations. The workshop was skillfully led by representatives from the Seattle King County African American Reparations Committee (SAARC) – Larry Gossett, Andra Kranzler and Kevin Hall. Surrounded by vivid posters and photos prepared by PSARA’s Kris Melroe which depicted with stark clarity how we got here as a nation, we broke into small groups to consider the issues and questions raised by our SAARC facilitators.
In those groups, we shared heartfelt reactions and thoughts about Black Reparations. We discussed how to respond to questions or opposition, and how to persuade others to join this step toward racial justice. At the end of the workshop, there was a palpable sense of community, and the joy of being with others who fight for racial justice. Many thanks to all who attended, and to Larry, Andra and Kevin for guiding us.
In the upcoming months, PSARA will continue to partner with SAARC to educate and advocate on behalf of Black Reparations, including additional workshops in Seattle and King County. We CAN make Black Reparations a reality, to the benefit of us all!
Stop Raiding Our Medicare Rally
Pramila Jayapal, Teresa Mosqueda and host of others spoke at the Stop Raiding our Medicare Rally. See photos above. A complete report on the Stop Raiding Medicare Rally is in the September Advocate (see page 6). Click Here for a brief video of highlights from the Rally.
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Co-President Jeff Johnson speaking at the Stop Raiding our Medicare Rally, urged all to tell your Senators and Representatives to level the playing field between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage:
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Add benefits to traditional Medicare including vision, dental and hearing and eliminating the 20% Medicare copay.
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Stop the private insurance companies’ fraudulent charges to the Medicare Trust Fund.
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Take back the money that the Medicare Trust Fund lost to fraud and abuse by private insurance corporations.