Barbara Lee Holds Community Health Town Hall Experts Help with Medicare RX Benefit, Discuss Community Health Solutions
(Oakland, CA) - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) held a Town Hall Meeting at the Fruitvale Senior Center in Oakland today where community health experts addressed the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and discussed prevention efforts and resources for addressing health challenges that impact local residents, like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
“I am deeply invested in the health and well-being of the people who live in my district,” said Lee. “That means making sure we have a Medicare Drug benefit that actually works, addressing issues like health disparities and access to care, and making sure we support local prevention efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.”
With the May 15th deadline looming, attendees received free assistance enrolling in the Medicare prescription drug benefit. There were also two mobile laboratories on hand to provide free screenings for cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
The panelists included Shirley Bordelon, Health Insurance Specialist from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Sherry Hirota, Executive Director of Asian Health Services; Geoffrey Watson, MD, Executive Director of the Watson Wellness Center; Claire Horton, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director for Quality from La Clinica de la Raza; and the Master of Ceremonies was Martin Waukazoo, CEO of the Native American Health Center.
Speakers talked about the major healthcare challenges that their local communities face, including healthcare coverage challenges and health disparities. They also talked about the prevention efforts that their clinics are providing to their communities to combat these issues.
###