Protecting Our Seniors
Ensuring Social Security and Medicare for Future Generations
Social Security and Medicare are two of our most important social programs, having helped keep millions of seniors and the disabled out of poverty. House Democrats fought long and hard to pass the original Medicare program, and we must continue to honor Medicare's guarantee that our seniors' health needs will be taken care of during their golden years.
Before Medicare, in 1964 just 51 percent of Americans over 65 had health care coverage. Today thanks to Medicare, coverage is practically universal. Currently Medicare provides comprehensive health care coverage to 47 million Americans, including 39 million seniors and 8 million people under 65 with disabilities. Such universal coverage has shielded seniors from the often debilitating costs of healthcare, drastically reducing the number of our seniors living in poverty. Nearly 30 percent of seniors lived below the poverty line in 1964, and today that number has dropped to 7.5 percent.
As you know, Republicans want to privatize and block grant Medicare. This would end Medicare as we know it. According to them, Medicare would be replaced by what Republicans call “premium support.” Vouchers would be given to seniors to reduce the price of buying private insurance. However, if they cannot afford insurance even with the vouchers, they would be left uninsured with no additional assistance from the government. This plan would be a disaster for our nation’s seniors. It give insurance companies the power to decide who they wish to cover, leaving many seniors unable to purchase insurance because their preexisting health conditions are too costly.
Under Republican's plan, millions of seniors who have paid into Medicare their entire lives will left out in the cold. I refuse to stand idly by as Republicans attempt to rob America's seniors from getting the quality health care they deserve. I want my children and grandchildren to have the same health security the generations before them had. Rest assured I will do everything in my power to protect Medicare and Social Security and keep the promise our country has made to its citizens.
More on Protecting Our Seniors
Washington, DC – Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) made the following statement in support of the Delivering for America Act (H.R. 8015), which passed the House of Representatives today with bipartisan support by a vote of 257-150. This emergency legislation prohibits any changes to the U.S. Postal Service operations and services through January of 2021 that would have the effect of delaying mail or increasing the volume of undelivered mail.
Washington, DC — Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) presses Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on operational changes at the US Postal Service (USPS) that could cause significant delays in mail delivery. In a letter with 83 other Members, Congressman Ryan expressed concerns over changes at the United State Postal Service and they called on the Postmaster General to cooperate with Congress's efforts to secure the future of the Postal Service.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) today announces additional COVID-19 funding from the CARES Act to assist the cities of Youngstown and Akron in serving individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance. The City of Youngstown will receive $657,102, and the City of Akron will receive $1,828,930 in assistance.
Youngstown, Ohio – Following Congressman Tim Ryan’s (OH-13) urging, the Trump Administration announced today that they have fixed a critical Medicare reimbursement issue for mental health providers.
Youngstown, Ohio – Tonight, after Congressman Tim Ryan’s urging, the U.S. Department of Treasury reversed its order and will now allow Social Security recipients who typically do not file taxes to receive their $1,200 check automatically without needing to submit any additional documents.
Youngstown, OH – Today, Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) responded to President Donald Trump’s recent tweets about General Motors re-opening their now-sold Lordstown plant – which is in Rep. Ryan’s district – to end supply shortages for our frontline healthcare workers during the coronavirus crisis:
Youngstown, OH – Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) announces his support for the Coronavirus Stimulus Package that passed the Senate yesterday and is set to pass the House tomorrow. This is the third coronavirus response package that Congress has passed into law.
Youngstown, OH — Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) today announces $67,071 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be awarded to Ohio North East Health Systems, Inc. under the FY 2020 Coronavirus Supplemental Funding for Health Centers. HHS is providing this one-time funding to support health centers in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus.
Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Bill Posey (R-FL) today introduced the Safe Medicine Act, bipartisan legislation to break America’s dependence on pharmaceuticals produced overseas and protect Americans from defective or contaminated foreign pharmaceuticals. Tens of millions of Americans who depend on life-saving medications could be at-risk of receiving tainted medicine from countries like China that do not abide by our laws and do not have America’s best interests in mind.
Washington, DC – Representatives Tim Ryan (OH-13), Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and Joyce Beatty (OH-03) today urged Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to reject Medicaid block grants for the state of Ohio. On January 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a plan, entitled “Healthy Adult Opportunity,” encouraging states to block grant Medicaid funding.