US Representative Mike Ross addresses Medicare

Last month marked the 47th anniversary of Medicare in the United States.  This anniversary commemorates the promise of better health and financial security for the elderly, the disabled, and their families. Today, millions of Americans don’t have to worry that one illness or injury will mean death or financial ruin.

That’s exactly why Medicare was created – to ensure America’s seniors get the health care they need to live long, healthy lives.

When the Republicans tried to privatize Medicare last year with their budget proposal and when they tried to partially privatize Social Security under President Bush, I fought them every step of the way because Social Security and Medicare are valuable programs that keep half of all seniors out of poverty.  And earlier this year when Republicans tried to end Medicare as we know it with their budget proposal, I continued to fight their efforts.  I want to trim our deficits and return to the days of balanced budgets more than anyone else, but not on the backs of our seniors who did nothing to get us into this mess in the first place.  

We need bipartisan, commonsense proposals that stop deficit spending while protecting our seniors.  The American people deserve a serious and honest conversation about our country’s finances, not one that is rushed and partisan.  It should not be about politics, it should be about working together to get the job done for the American people. We must not punish seniors who need Medicare and who deserve the Social Security benefits they have earned. 

Medicare and Social Security continue to be a critical financial lifeline for many Arkansans.  While some reforms to these important programs need to be made to ensure their sustainability, massive cuts to seniors’ already promised benefits are simply unfair and unacceptable.  We must look at other ways to reform Social Security and Medicare that protect seniors, honor their lifetime of hard work and ensure both programs’ long-term solvency.

In these uncertain economic times, Social Security and Medicare are more important now than ever before.  Due in no small part to these life-saving programs, millions of seniors can live their lives with dignity and independence, instead of poverty and despair. 

As your Congressman, I remain committed to ensuring Social Security and Medicare endure for the people of Arkansas and our nation as a whole.  And, as a commonsense voice for Arkansas, I will continue to find ways we can cut spending and reduce our deficits without punishing our state’s most vulnerable citizens who are already scraping to get by and who did nothing to get us into this mess in the first place.