Medicare and Medicaid should be strengthened -
Letter to the Quad CityTimes
To the Quad City Times
From a PACG Healthcare Reform Forum member:
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.
Note: PACG joined other organizations to celebrate the 61st anniversary of these two important, life-saving programs. Read our blog post here.
Kay Pence
From a PACG Healthcare Reform Forum member:
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.
Note: PACG joined other organizations to celebrate the 61st anniversary of these two important, life-saving programs. Read our blog post here.
Kay Pence
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