Seniors

"Social Security and Medicare are promises we have made to our seniors to ensure they have the opportunity to retire with dignity. Seniors have earned these benefits by contributing to them through a lifetime of work, so we have an obligation to protect these programs for both today and tomorrow's "

-    Congressman Donnelly

Click each bullet point below to learn more about Congressman Donnelly's work on behalf of seniors:

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Providing Constituent Services to Seniors

Social Security is vital to the financial security and well-being of millions of America's seniors, orphaned children and disabled workers.

As you may know, the current Social Security program is structured as a pay-as-you-go system in which taxes collected today pay for the benefits of today's retirees. This system has worked for over 70 years, and it is vital that we protect its integrity for the future.

Congressman Donnelly believes we have an obligation to ensure that retirees continue to receive the benefits they were promised, while also guaranteeing that the program will be there for future generations. That is why he strongly opposes risky proposals to privatize Social Security or gamble with the very funds that are supposed to guarantee that seniors have the opportunity to retire with dignity.

donnelly_seniors.jpgCongressman Donnelly talks with a constituent at an event he hosted to help seniors stay and receive care in their homes.

Estimates indicate that the Social Security Trust Fund will continue to take in enough revenue to pay all benefits on time and in full for the next 20 years. Congress will have to act sometime before then to ensure the program's long-term health. Any congressional actions to strengthen such an important program will require Democrats and Republicans to work together. Unfortunately, some in Congress view the debate as an opportunity to privatize Social Security – a scheme that Congressman Donnelly believes would undermine Social Security and one that he does not support.

If you need help receiving your Social Security benefits, please click here or call Congressman Donnelly's office at (574) 288-2780.

 

 

Protecting Medicare

Congress also must work to protect the integrity of Medicare for both today's and tomorrow's seniors. Medicare has been in existence for over 45 years and during that time has served as the insurer for tens of millions of seniors and people with disabilities.
   
Recently, Congressman Donnelly opposed a proposal offered by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) that would end the Medicare guarantee by turning the system into a voucher program.

Congressman Donnelly is working to make the cost of prescription drugs more affordable for seniors. One of his first votes in Congress was to require the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate with drug companies the prices of drugs covered under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. He also voted to close Medicare's "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage for seniors, and cut in half the price of name-brand drugs for those seniors in the "donut hole."

Providing Constituent Services to Seniors

If you are experiencing difficulty dealing with the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), please click here or call (574) 288-2780 for more information about how Congressman Donnelly's office can help.
 

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