To the editor:

As a senior citizen, I believe that health care reform will strengthen rather than weaken Medicare. I am pleased with the focus on wellness and prevention and the rewarding of doctors for the health care they provide rather than how many procedures they do.

I am also pleased that, contrary to the voices of health care opponents, Medicare benefits will not be cut. In addition, reform will close the doughnut hole and eliminate co-pays for preventive care like cancer screenings. If we do nothing, costs will keep rising and the Medicare trust fund will be at risk of going bust.

Then, of course, there is the concern for those not eligible for Medicare who can’t afford insurance or are denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Please don’t be swayed by the naysayers and the untruths that are being propagated. The time for reform is now.