Working to Protect and Support our Seniors

• The across-the-board cuts of sequestration in 2013 had a severe impact on a number of services essential for our seniors. The cuts had a severe impact on the Meals on Wheels program, Housing for Elderly programs, and programs that protect vulnerable adults from elder abuse and that help seniors get the assistance they need to live at home. Representative Kilmer strongly opposed sequestration and repeatedly called on House leadership to bring up legislation to replace the harmful cuts with a balanced, bipartisan proposal to create jobs and support long-term economic growth.
   
• Representative Kilmer supported H.R. 3547, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which boosts funding for the Meals on Wheels program and other senior nutrition programs by $41 million. That bill also proposed expanding services at existing health centers and the creation of 450 new community health centers, bringing quality health services to underserved communities and vulnerable populations.
   
• Representative Kilmer is working to keep Social Security strong and opposes proposals to privatize this vital safety net program. Our nation has an obligation to take care of our older Americans.  As the grandson of a 104-year-old widow, he knows it is essential that we are helping vulnerable populations live with dignity.
   
• Medicare costs should not be carried on the backs of the most vulnerable in our population and Representative Kilmer has worked closely with his colleagues to ensure our seniors get the benefits that they deserve. Representative Kilmer cosponsored H.R.3531, the Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior (CARES) Act of 2013 and H.R. 1179, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2013, to help elderly patients that qualify for long-term Medicare facilities to be admitted as quickly as possible rather than staying at the hospital.

While intended as a cost-controlling measure to promote sustainable reimbursement levels to Medicare and TRICARE providers, there is a real and very legitimate concern that allowing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula to go into effect would result in much deeper cuts in reimbursements to providers than Congress anticipated. These steep cuts limit patient access to care and Congress has repeatedly acted on short-term measures to prevent significant disruption for providers and patients alike. Representative Kilmer strongly supports financially responsible legislation that would permanently fix the SGR.