In the past month alone, more than 100,000 seniors have joined the Coalition for Medicare Choices to urge Congress to protect the benefits they receive through Medicare Advantage plans. With the recent surge in membership, the Coalition now totals more than 350,000 members from across the nation.

Created by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) in 1999, the Coalition for Medicare Choices is the leading national grassroots organization for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.

Members of the Coalition are actively reaching out to lawmakers to share their personal stories about the value of their Medicare health plan. Through letters, phone calls, emails and participation at town hall meetings, seniors are sending a strong message that they want Congress to protect their Medicare benefits.

"With the Coalition growing at a record pace, it is clear that seniors are becoming more engaged as they learn that their benefits and choices may be at risk," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP.

A recent survey found high and growing satisfaction among Medicare health plan enrollees. Ninety percent of beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with their Medicare Advantage coverage, an increase over the 84 percent who were satisfied in a similar 2003 survey. The poll also found high and growing satisfaction for key aspects of Medicare Advantage coverage, including quality of care, benefits, preventive care, out-of-pocket costs, and prescription drug coverage.

That same survey found that 35 percent of seniors - including 62 percent of low-income seniors - enrolled in Medicare Advantage say they would skip some of the health care treatments they currently receive if their Medicare Advantage plan is taken away.

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