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AARP urges Congress to protect seniors

Published 12:09am Friday, June 17, 2011

For more than 50 years AARP has been working to ensure older Americans have affordable health care and financial security in retirement. We are committed to protecting and strengthening Medicare and Social Security so today’s seniors and future generations will get the benefits they’ve earned through their lifetimes of paying into the system.

In Mississippi, approximately 476,564 people receive Medicare and approximately 559,344 people receive Social Security. These benefits are being threatened.

There are proposals being considered by Congress right now that would make harmful cuts to Medicare and Social Security as part of a deal to pay the nation’s bills.

These cuts could dramatically increase health care costs for today’s seniors — yes, those who now are 55 and over — threatening their access to doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, and reducing the benefit checks they rely on to pay their bills.

AARP will strive to prevent Congress from making these harmful cuts to Medicare and Social Security as part of any deal to pay the nation’s bills.

Of course Congress needs to make some tough choices to address our large and growing debt — but not by hurting today’s seniors and future retirees.

There’s a better way to reduce the deficit. Instead of cutting the benefits America’s seniors have earned, Congress needs to start making the right decisions about our nation’s future priorities, beginning by cutting tax loopholes and special interest tax breaks for companies that make billions of dollars in profits, but pay little or no taxes. Estimates are that all tax breaks and loopholes cost the federal government roughly $1 trillion each year. And what national priority is being addressed by Congress doling out more than $200 million in tobacco subsidies?

Today’s Medicare beneficiaries already pay an average of $5,500 each year out of their own pockets for their medical expenses. And it’s rising every year. Social Security’s benefits already are modest by any standard. Today, the average Social Security retirement benefit is only about $14,000 a year. The average annual benefit for retired women is even less — about $12,000.

Mississippi seniors have spent decades paying into the system.

They’ve earned the peace of mind that comes with being assured that Congress won’t make harmful cuts to their Medicare and Social Security benefits.

Bruce W. Brice Sr. is the AARP Mississippi state president and a Natchez resident.

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  • Anonymous

     If you currently have pre-existing conditions like me that have prevented you from being able to qualify for health insurance for at least six months you will have coverage options under new health care. Check “Penny Health Insurance” to find how to get quality insurance for dollars.
     

  • Anonymous

    Seems Congress can’t get its arms around such things as tax loopholes, etc.  They would rather let the older generation just die out from lack of funds or medical care and provide no alternative for that generation to exist.  All the while, we keep sending foreign aid to countries like Pakistan that are highly questionable allies, seems we are “buying” their friendship?

  • Anonymous

    THAT’S WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO GET OUT AND *VOTE*. THERE’S A PARTY THAT ONLY CARE ABOUT THERE FAMILY, AND THEMSELVES. THERE’S ANOTHER PARTY THAT CARES ABOUT PEOPLES WELL BEING. IT’S LEFT UP TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE. THAT’S THE AMERICAN WAY. IT’S FEELS SO GREAT TO BE AN AMERICAN. ” ONLY-IN-AMERICA ”   

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    Mr. Brice the Republican party is the one that you need to take your issue to for they are the ones that want to take SS and Medicare away from the elderly useing scare tactics. You and others need to vote Democratic to save issues as this in Federal,State, & county elections. Republicans don’t give a hoot for the poor or the middleclass and wants to put out scare tactic out on everything to get power over people!

  • Anonymous

    “There’s a better way to reduce the deficit. Instead of cutting the
    benefits America’s seniors have earned, Congress needs to start making
    the right decisions about our nation’s future priorities, beginning by
    cutting tax loopholes and special interest tax breaks for companies that
    make billions of dollars in profits, but pay little or no taxes.”

    You mean like AARP?  $1.5 billion in revenues last year and tax-exempt.

  • Anonymous

    That post was so chock full of hypocrisy that it was hilarious.  YOU are the one using scare tactics in an attempt to get people to vote Democrat by asserting that the mean old boogeyman Republicans are going to take everything away, which is completely dishonest.

    Republicans ARE the middle class in this country.  The most expensive places to live in this nation are SOLIDLY Democrat areas whereas the less expensive places to live tend to be Republican.  The poor tend to vote Democrat for the goodies and the rich tend to vote Democrat.  It is the middle that largely votes Republican.

    Who goes to the most expensive private colleges in this nation?  Liberals.  Jeez, I could go on and on.

  • Anonymous

    Oh, and another thing about “Republicans don’t care about poor people”.  I guess you are not aware (surprise!) that Republicans donate their own time and money to charities at a MUCH higher rate than Democrats.  While Republicans are willing to give up their own time and money to the poor voluntarily, Democrats use legislation to force OTHER PEOPLE to support the poor through confiscatory taxes and then sit back and pat themselves on the back like they actually did something.  Look it up.  The facts are out there and they do not support your assertions at all.

  • Anonymous

    Why doesn’t congress pay for their health insurance like the rest of the working class, and not cut the benefits seniors were told they would get at retirement.

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