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This week, I will be in northwestern Pennsylvania to talk with older citizens, health care providers and volunteers about some of the dangerous proposals being floated in Washington, D.C., to unravel vital programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that help middle-class families.
These programs help older Americans remain in their homes as they age, support good-paying jobs throughout our health care system and provide critical services to millions of Pennsylvanians.
I am particularly looking forward to these conversations because I have taken on a new role in the United States Senate as the ranking member for the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The committee is driven by a bipartisan mission. It is a committee in which Democrats and Republicans work together to address the health and financial security of older Americans and find common sense solutions to issues that individuals and families face as they age. The committee goes after scammers looking to prey on the elderly, examines how individuals and families can be best positioned to save for retirement, and digs into the complications older Americans living in rural parts of the country may face accessing critical services.
My new role also puts me front-and-center in the debate about the future of the fundamental programs that our families depend on — Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. These programs provide important security for older Americans and prevent countless seniors from having to decide between paying for prescription drugs and paying for groceries.
I know Pennsylvanians agree that these programs are vital to every middle class family. In the past month alone, nearly 18,000 individuals across the state (and country) wrote or called me to express concerns about the well-being of seniors, health care, and the future of Medicare and Medicaid.
I will fight back against extreme efforts to end the guaranteed benefit of Medicare, dismantle Medicaid and that threaten Social Security benefits. No matter the zip code or income, every Pennsylvanian deserves the peace of mind to know that they can retire with dignity and security. I will stand up for you, your family and seniors across the state. I will use every opportunity to protect and preserve these programs and the health and financial security they give our families.
I plan to put what I hear this week into action for our families across Pennsylvania and bring your family’s concerns to the work of the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton