Senior Citizens Fear Medicare Programs Face Budget Cuts

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Concern is growing over potential cuts to programs that benefit senior citizens. New numbers out this week show a state program that handles Medicare programs could lose about $26 million because of budget cuts.

State agencies have been cutting their budgets by 5 to 7 percent every month because revenue is down.

Now it appears that these cuts are taking a toll on some of the state's elderly residents.

The recession didn't hit Oklahoma as hard as it did other states, but the impact is still being felt. Medicare programs, including prescription drug benefits, appear to be on the chopping block.

"We as senior citizens are on a limited budget and we're not going to get a raise tomorrow and we're not getting a cola this year," senior citizen Jan Rollins said.

According to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which handles Oklahoma's Medicare programs, recent budget cuts could mean a loss of $26.4 million for this fiscal year.

HCA accepted stimulus money in excess of $300 million. By accepting that money, it agreed not to cut benefits or eligibility for basic programs.

"Yes, we are concerned because there could be a day when you can't buy your prescriptions and you can't do these things and that would be awful," Rollins said.

"There's just a sense of unease that I pick up and I have it myself, you know, I'm 63 and a half," said Sherman Huff with Spanish Cove Life-Retirement Village. "Most of them have worked and saved and most of them are of a generation unlike you and I that have not only Social Security for retirement, but also a pension plan."

Sherman Huff is the administrator of a retirement community in Yukon. He says there are concerns among the residents even though most are financially sound.

Rollins, a retired teacher, is part of that group. Still, she has concerns.

"I just feel that seniors are kind of left out to hold the bag," Rollins said.