In the last month the effort to educate elected leaders and as many people as possible about the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model (WISeR) has intensified. Washington is one of 6 states in the WISeR program. The pilot program expands prior authorization in original Medicare and reimburses AI contractors based on how much money they save the Medicare Trust Fund, i.e. denials of care. Here are a couple of examples of how the educational work is having an impact.

On September 3rd, PSARA was invited to provide a presentation at Aljoya senior living facility in the Northgate area in Seattle. Over 50 residents attended. The presentation was about the general attack on Medicare through privatization and an explanation of WISeR. The first question we asked was how many people in attendance had heard of WISEeR. Only two residents raised their hands, and they were PSARA members. After the presentation, the residents decided to send a letter signed by as many residents that they could recruit. Ninety-two residents signed the letter. The letter will go to our two US Senators, their Representative, the Office of the Insurance Com- missioner, the Governor, and their state representatives and state senator. It requests their support in the effort to cancel WISeR. This presentation is one of a number PSARA has done, and more are on the calendar.

We met with the Deputy Commissioner and other officials with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. We had sent them, in advance, information about WISeR. After a discussion they indicated they would brief Insurance Commissioner Kuderer. Since that meeting, Insurance Commissioner Kuderer stated her opposition to WISeR at a public presentation one of our members attended. She and her staff will be reaching out to Insurance Commissioners from other states to build opposition to WISeR and the expansion of prior authorization. On September 11, Rep. Pocan(WI) and Rep. Schakowsky(IL) introduced a Resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the expanded use of prior authorization in Medicare. The Resolution states in part that WISeR undermines beneficiary access to health care and should not be implemented. There is a national effort to get as many House members as possible to sign as co-sponsors of the Resolution.

PSARA is asking our members and people attending our presentations to please call your Representative and request they sign the Pocan/Schakowsky resolution. Also, please call our Senators and ask them to publicly speak out against WISeR. Feel free to call more than once.

The WISeR model is just another example of private corporations reaping profits from Medicare. PSARA opposes the privatization of Medicare. We sup- port leveling the playing field between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. It will give Medicare beneficiaries a genuine choice between Medicare Advantage and public Medicare. The creation of Medicare was a democratic victory for the people. Resistance to WISeR and the corporate takeover of Medicare is part and parcel of our fight against autocracy and for democracy. Please engage with us as we work to save and improve our Medicare.

The Pocan-Schakowsky Resolution

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model undermines beneficiary access to healthcare and should not be implemented…

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) expresses disapproval of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model

(2)  finds that expanding prior authorization processes used in Medicare Advantage into the publicly administered traditional Medicare Program undermines beneficiary access to timely and necessary medical care; and

(3)  strongly requests that the Centers for Medicare and Med- icaid Services terminate the WISeR Model.