Senior Citizens

Alaska’s senior population is growing faster than almost every other state. Alaska attracts seniors because of the state’s desirable way of life and ample public services. Senior citizens contribute enormously to Alaska’s rich diversity, to the state’s economy and with their great wealth of experiences.

Senator Begich is a long-time defender of services for seniors, beginning with Social Security and Medicare. He believes these programs should be protected and strengthened, not cut or privatized. Additionally, he supports improving long-term care options and senior housing for Alaskans. Many of Alaska’s seniors face high costs-of-living and Senator Begich believes we need to continue providing assistance for the high energy costs through programs such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

As Congress works to reduce the nation’s burdensome national debt, Senator Begich believes federal budget cuts should not be on the backs of our senior citizens.

Social Security

In 2010, the nation celebrated the 75th anniversary of Social Security. Senator Begich marked the occasion with a news conference at the Anchorage Senior Center to call for strengthening Social Security. A recent report documented that more than 71,000 Alaskans receive Social Security benefits. That includes 11,000 elderly residents who otherwise would live in poverty, one in 10 Alaska woman aged 65 or older and nearly one in four Alaska Native households.

Nationally, 156 million working Americans contribute to Social Security and will receive promised benefits for themselves and their families in the event of a disability, death or old age. In 2009, Social Security benefits totaled more than $675 billion, an amount equivalent to 4.7 percent of the nation's annual Gross Domestic Product.

Social Security has not contributed a penny to the deficit. In fact, it had a $2.6 trillion surplus in 2010, which is projected to grow to $4.2 trillion by 2025. Social Security cannot borrow or go into debt. Its benefits must be paid only from its dedicated revenue, which is primarily from contributions paid by employers and workers. Social Security can pay all benefits in full through 2036. After then it can pay 78 percent of benefits decreasing to 75 percent in 2084 and beyond.

Senator Begich believes the Social Security system must be strengthened. That is why he voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which underscored Social Security with supplemental appropriations. He has also co-sponsored The Social Security Fairness Act of 2009, which allows public employees to receive Social Security benefits earned from other employment.

Social Security Administration (SSA) and You

The Social Security Administration's website has useful information about retirement, disability, supplemental security income, survivor benefits, Medicare and international benefits. You can also find Social Security forms and a section that explains how to apply for benefits. If you need further assistance, or have a dispute with the SSA, Senator Begich can help. Please complete our Privacy Release Form and submit it to or Anchorage Office, or the nearest field office to you.

• Social Security Administration
• Get Help With Your Situation Through the SSA
• Office Report Fraud to the of the Inspector General

Medicare and Alaska’s Seniors

Medicare is a health insurance program for people age 65 or older, under age 65 with certain disabilities and any age with End-Stage Renal Disease. The Medicare website has useful information for Medicare beneficiaries or people with questions about Medicare.

In Congress, Senator Begich has supported a number of measures to improve the Medicare program for Alaska’s seniors. This includes finding a permanent solution to the reimbursement formula to ensure health care providers are paid fairly for their services, and expanding Part B coverage to mental health care services. Senator Begich is dedicated to ensuring Alaska’s seniors are able to have access to quality health care under Medicare coverage.

Additionally, under the new health care law, Congress included a provision to improve Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and close the ‘donut hole’. Closing the drug ‘donut hole’ and improving other Medicare benefits, such as early retirement benefits, will improve coverage for nearly 60,000 Alaska seniors.

If you are 55 years of age or older and have encountered difficulty finding a provider willing to accept Medicare insurance, Providence Hospital in Anchorage recently opened their Senior Care Center.

If you have a dispute with Medicare, whether it is over eligibility or billing, Senator Begich can help. For these cases, please submit a signed Privacy Release Form to one of his offices.

• Medicare Information Office

Health Care Reform and Seniors

Historic health insurance reform was signed into law by the President on March 23, 2010. The new law provides Alaskans and all Americans more affordable, reliable and accessible health care. Millions of people and small business owners will benefit from tax credits, more competition in the insurance marketplace, and significant steps to reduce the deficit.

We all win with major reforms of the insurance industry. No longer will insurance companies be allowed to impose caps on lifetime coverage, drop insurance coverage because of an illness, or deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Senator Begich voted for passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the final fixes to the new law contained in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.

Long-Term Care and Aging in Place

Senator Begich believes the Older Americans Act (OAA) programs are extremely valuable for senior citizens across the nation. Providing older adults with critical services that include senior centers, information and referral, home care, home-delivered meals (Meals On Wheels), adult day care, legal services, transportation and caregiver support are important to Alaskan families. Without these programs, more than 8 million older adults each year would need more expensive institutional care or suffer from hunger, isolation, poor health, neglect, abuse, unemployment or other challenges to their quality of life.

Investing in OAA programs will save taxpayer dollars by reducing premature or costly Medicaid and Medicare expenditures as a result of unnecessary nursing home placement or poor management of nutrition and chronic health conditions.

Senator Begich supports the Administration’s significant budget request for the OAA’s National Family Caregiver Support Program, Title III B Supportive Services and the Title VI Native American aging programs — all part of the Caregiver Initiative — as an important first step in addressing these needs.

• Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging

Supporting Older Workers

As Americans live longer and healthier lives, many are planning to work longer. According to a recent survey, 80 percent of baby boomers expect to work past traditional retirement age. Some may do so because they enjoy physical and mental benefits of work, while some may need the additional income to remain financially secure. Senator Begich believes our country needs to support those who choose to continue working.

Affordable Senior Housing

Senator Begich is an advocate of programs allowing low-income seniors to continue living independent life styles, such as the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. The Section 202 program provides capital grants to non-profits and community organizations for the development of supportive housing and rental assistance for very low-income seniors.

Elder Fraud and Abuse

The Elder Justice Act was a bipartisan-bicameral effort which aimed to coordinate the efforts of the federal government with states, senior centers, law enforcement organizations, community groups, and social services to prevent and respond to instances of physical, emotional, and financial abuse of senior - whether committed by family members, strangers, or caregivers. It is important to care for our seniors’ quality of life and protect them from abuse.

Emergency Preparedness for Seniors

Ensuring seniors have the tools to prepare for emergencies, i.e., tsunamis or an earthquake is important to Alaska’s communities. In Anchorage, a register of “vulnerable citizens” was put in place to follow-up with seniors or disabled that may not have the capacity to evacuate their homes. Emergency plans for nursing homes and other care facilities need to be in place across the state so that our vulnerable citizens are not forgotten.

Assisting Seniors with Rising Energy Costs

Senator Begich is a supporter of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides heat and energy crisis assistance to senior citizens and poor working families in over 4.8 million households nationwide.