SENIOR FORUM
Tonko, McDonald talk strengthening healthcare, Social Security
COHOES, N.Y. » On the 84th birthday of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security bill into law, Assemblyman John T. McDonald III, Congressman Paul D. Tonko and President and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security, Max Richtman, held a town hall at the Cohoes Senior Center.
The town hall question and answer session focused on issues important to seniors, including Social Security, healthcare and ever-rising prescription drug costs.
“I think that when you look at polling, that all political forces do, the number one issue that remains the number one issue is healthcare, affordability, and accessibility to quality care,” Tonko said of the top issue driving voters to the polls during the 2018 midterm election.
“When we talk about a forum like this, you begin with recognizing the importance and the relevance of Medicare and Medicaid in the lives of the elderly. Certainly when it comes to long-term care many people do become eligible for Medicaid expenditures so we have to be careful of that account and that investment and certainly, Medicare is one of the most recognized and successful
“I think that when you look at polling... the number one issue that remains the number one issue is healthcare, affordability, and accessibility to quality care,” — Congressman Paul D. Tonko
programs that enables people in their senior years to enjoy a quality of life and healthcare so that they can go forward and have those needs addressed in a way that is meaningful,” Tonko noted of the programs and their importance to seniors.
In at t empt i ng to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, Tonko is supporting legislation which would include expanding Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care. Plus, Tonko supports improving mental health services in Medicaid by incentivizing providers to participate.
When it comes to lowering prescription drug costs, Tonko blocking methods used by name-brand drug manufacturers of eliminating competition by generic manufacturers, which according to Tonko, would save patients and the federal government $3 billion over the next decade.
Tonko also supports preserving and improving upon the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Tonko wants to bolster tax credits to decrease health insurance premiums. In addition, Tonko favors the Medicare for All Act of 2019, which would provide all Americans with a high- quality comprehensive health plan that would include hospital visits, prescription drug costs, mental health, substance abuse treatment, dental and vision services, and long-term care; all with no co-pays or deductibles.
McDonald III, who also supports the ACA, spoke to how New York State is successfully expanding coverage, including the EPIC program.
“The Affordable Care Act and I can say this from personal experience, as a person who has administered healthcare for 35- years, we’ve seen a significant increase in access to reasonable affordable healthcare,” McDonald III said.
McDonald III also expects the legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to pass legislation which will enable people more accessible information when it comes to weighing their options on buying prescription drugs and accessing services.
On Social Security, Richtman advocated making the program even more solvent into the future.
“There’s a bill in the House of Representatives, it’s called the Social Security 2100 Act, that would make sure Social Security is around, able to pay everybody who’s expecting to get benefits for the rest of this century. That bill will bring in enough money to improve the minimum benefits, to have a better [cost of living adjustment] COLA, improve the way the COLA is calculated and make it more generous,” Richtman noted of the bill, of which Tonko is a co-sponsor.
“If you are working right now and you make above $132,900 dollars in wages, you don’t pay any more Social Security tax on that. That’s called the cap on wages subject to the payroll tax. So if you make $132,000 or $100 million, you pay the same amount. You think that’s right?” Richtman said.
“So what this bill does, it keeps the cap at what it is, changes a little bit every year but if you make $400,000 dollars or more in wages every year, you’re going to pay more in Social Security tax. I think that’s fair. That brings in enough money to make the program sound for the rest of the century, improves the minimum benefit of about $70 dollars a month, and has a more generous COLA,” Richtman added of improving the cost of living adjustment benefit paid out by Social Security.