Letter to the Quad City Times from Kay Pence,
Healthcare Reform member
July 26, 2026
As Medicare and Medicaid celebrate their 61st anniversaries, I'm reminded that these programs are more than government policies—they're promises that Americans can retire with dignity and receive care when they need it most.
I spent my career as a union representative bargaining contracts. At every bargaining table, healthcare was always a big issue. Millions of Americans were uninsured, driving up costs for people with insurance. As costs rose, employers pushed for more cost-sharing and fewer benefits.
The Affordable Care Act helped change that by making insurance affordable. It strengthened healthcare security for working families and eased pressure during contract negotiations.
Today, as Vice President of the Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, I hear a different set of concerns.
Many retirees rely on Medicare but may also need Medicaid if they eventually require long-term nursing care. Thousands of seniors in nursing homes qualify for Medicaid after they exhaust their life savings. Without Medicaid, many can't afford the care they need.
Too often, people assume these programs are for someone else—until illness, disability, or aging changes their lives.
Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act have given millions of Americans greater security and peace of mind. As healthcare costs continue to rise, we should be strengthening these programs, not weakening them.
The members of the Alliance for Retired Americans know that retirement should be defined by dignity, not fear of losing healthcare. On this anniversary, let's recommit ourselves to protecting the programs that generations of Americans depend on every day.
I spent my career as a union representative bargaining contracts. At every bargaining table, healthcare was always a big issue. Millions of Americans were uninsured, driving up costs for people with insurance. As costs rose, employers pushed for more cost-sharing and fewer benefits.
The Affordable Care Act helped change that by making insurance affordable. It strengthened healthcare security for working families and eased pressure during contract negotiations.
Today, as Vice President of the Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, I hear a different set of concerns.
Many retirees rely on Medicare but may also need Medicaid if they eventually require long-term nursing care. Thousands of seniors in nursing homes qualify for Medicaid after they exhaust their life savings. Without Medicaid, many can't afford the care they need.
Too often, people assume these programs are for someone else—until illness, disability, or aging changes their lives.
Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act have given millions of Americans greater security and peace of mind. As healthcare costs continue to rise, we should be strengthening these programs, not weakening them.
The members of the Alliance for Retired Americans know that retirement should be defined by dignity, not fear of losing healthcare. On this anniversary, let's recommit ourselves to protecting the programs that generations of Americans depend on every day.
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