Trump Seeking to Cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid if Reelected

In a reversal from his 2016 campaign promises, President Trump

said on CNBC Wednesday that he would look to cut "entitlements" if re-elected. He revealed that cuts to earned Medicare and Social Security benefits will be on the table as soon as the end of this year, after a day of hobnobbing with billionaires in Davos.

“The cruel irony of this scene cannot be overstated,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “While Davos billionaires may not understand the importance of Social Security and Medicare, millions of Americans who rely on the health and retirement benefits they have earned through a lifetime of hard work do."

“Retirees need help, not a slap in the face,” Fiesta added. “We should be working to expand Social Security and increasing benefits for current and future retirees. This can be accomplished by making the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share by lifting the arbitrary payroll tax cap.” 

Social Security and Medicare are vital for a secure retirement. With Americans paying the highest prescription drug prices in the world, cuts to these programs would make it much harder for retirees to pay for basic necessities. Social Security is the only source of income for 4 in 10 older Americans. For even more retirees, Social Security provides 90% of their income. These modest earned retirement benefits average just $1,461 per month for a retired worker.

The Alliance supports strengthening and expanding Medicare by finally reining in high drug prices, which are the biggest driver of Medicare costs. H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act passed by the House of Representatives last year, would save taxpayers billions of dollars, cap out of pocket drug spending at $2,000 per year for retirees and add hearing, dental and vision benefits to Medicare.

Supreme Court Holds Off on Deciding Fate of Affordable Care Act

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal by a coalition of states led by Democrats and the House of Representatives to consider the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) immediately. That means the fate of the health care law is now unlikely to be resolved until after the November presidential election.

“The ruling prolongs the uncertainty of the future of the Affordable Care Act and threatens the millions of Americans who rely on it for coverage of their pre-existing conditions,” said Alliance President Robert Roach, Jr.

Fifty-two million people with pre-existing conditions could lose the health coverage that they are guaranteed under the ACA. This is an especially serious problem for older Americans, given that 84 percent of those aged 55-64 have a pre-existing condition.

Last month, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the individual mandate, making the future of the law uncertain. More than a dozen Republican-led states argued that the ACA is no longer constitutional without the individual mandate penalty that was removed in the 2017 Republican tax package. The next step is for the courts to decide how much of the ACA can exist without the mandate.

In refusing to quickly decide the fate of the ACA, the Supreme Court agrees with the Trump administration that there is no “emergency” surrounding the law. The Court has not ruled out taking up the case in the next term, which begins in October. Without the lawsuit hanging over their heads, Republicans face less pressure to put forward a replacement plan for the health care law in an election year.

College Towns Building More Senior Housing to Accommodate Older Students

The number of U.S. adults aged 65 and older will grow from 48 to 79 

million by the mid 2030s, and 24 million people will be over the age of 80. With Arizona second in the nation in relocating retirees over the age of 60, a retirement community near Arizona State University in Tempe aims to give retired seniors a chance to

pursue higher education in their golden years. Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor focusing on retirement security and jobs, wrote about the phenomenon for Forbes.

Notre Dame in Indiana and SUNY Purchase in upstate New York are other examples of campuses with nearby senior housing. City planners say that students over 60 can help heal economic weaknesses in local economies that need vibrant and wealthy elders. 

“The suburbs can be a tough place to live if you are older, alone, and unable to drive,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “This is likely to cause major shifts in housing demands. Building housing for older citizens near college campuses can offer a solution.”

2020 Alliance Midwest Regional Conference Set for Detroit

The Alliance will hold its quadrennial Midwest Regional conference April 26 - 28, 2020, at the MGM Grand Hotel in Detroit, Michigan. At the conference, attendees will elect four regional board members and prepare for the upcoming 2020 elections. Alliance members in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin are urged to attend.

For more information, contact Joni Jones at either [email protected], [email protected] or 888-373-6497.

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