Increased funding
for public health response and Medicare coverage of vaccines will save lives
Arlington, VA (March 3, 2020) – The following is a statement from
James Firman, President and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA).
“On behalf of millions of vulnerable older adults, NCOA strongly
urges Congress to take immediate steps to provide an appropriate level of funding
for a strong, comprehensive public health campaign to fight the deadly
coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This campaign should include messaging about
prevention strategies that reaches all populations, in both community and
institutional settings. Equally important is ensuring that diagnostic tests, vaccines
when available, and treatments to address symptoms for those who become ill, be
accessible and affordable to all populations.
“NCOA believes that a fully funded public health response that
includes providing Medicare coverage of potential vaccines and other treatment
options will save lives. We urge Congress to significantly increase by several
magnitudes the White House’s current $2.5 billion budget to combat this disease.
“Resources are needed to support state and local health
departments as they mount strategies to address local need, including
partnering with their aging services providers and health care entities to meet
the unique needs of the older adult population. NCOA also supports additional
funding for Medicare to cover not just any potential vaccines but to provide
and expand culturally competent telehealth services to communities and
patients. This would increase access to life-saving screening and treatment by
extending the reach of health care providers, reduce the risk of additional
exposure, and improve the sharing of clinical data. These are all desirable
public health outcomes when dealing with a potential epidemic.
“Due to weakened immune systems and the presence of chronic
conditions, older adults are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. The
latest research found the median age of those infected to be 59. In the United
States, the first reported virus-related fatalities were Americans over age 50,
and the data available from China and other countries mirrors those results. NCOA
believes more significant investment now will save the lives of our parents,
grandparents, older adult relatives, and neighbors and help contain the spread
of this deadly virus in our communities. NCOA stands ready to assist in
outreach and education efforts pertaining older adults. We urge Congress to
lead on this issue.”
The post NCOA Statement: Congress Must Protect Older Adults from COVID-19 appeared first on NCOA.
