Social and Health Security

Protecting Medicare and Social Security: NJ Citizen Action executive Director Phyllis Salowe-Kaye hosts a press conference with (from left to right) Roger Hickey, Co-Director of Campaign for America's Future (CAF); US Senator Candidate Jon Corzine (now Senator): and Everett Felder, 2nd Vice President of the Orange/Maplewood Chapter of the NAACP. Corzien signed a CAF/NJCA pledge to protect Social Security and Medicare, and to fight efforts to privatize these two important programs.

NJCA is working with health care, labor, environmental, and consumer groups throughout the nation and in New Jersey to develop the Campaign for Social and Health Security. The Campaign has developed substantive goals that include:

Defend the two basic income security programs for Americans – Medicare (see below) and Social Security
Advance our long-standing agenda of quality, affordable health care for all, and fighting for a strong Patients’ Bill of Rights
Retake the political agenda on these issues in ways that benefit progressives, especially in electorally targeted places

LATEST NEWS: Read our February 15, 2001 press release, "Report Shows Tax Giveaways for Wealthiest 1% Would Pay for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage for Seniors." And view the related News 12 New Jersey video clip, "NJCA releases a report commenting on President Bush's plan for taxes and prescription drugs."

Medicare

As Congress debates the future of Medicare, Citizen Action urges Representatives to:

Use the surplus to protect and preserve Medicare

In a time of unprecedented economic prosperity, we can afford to provide additional resources to protect the health security of those on Medicare. Use 15% of the budget surplus, before providing tax cuts for the wealthy.
Guarantee choice, protect traditional Medicare, and reject efforts to force seniors into managed care plans

Being able to choose doctors, specialists and hospitals – and stay with them – is critical for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Turning Medicare over to HMOs and other managed care plans will restrict that choice, allow insurers to deny needed medical procedures, and cut corners on care. HMOs and other insurers who enroll senior citizens can decide each year to pull out of the market. This year, HMOs covering 400,000 senior citizens announced that they would pull out as of January 1, 2000.
Make prescription drugs affordable by adding a universal drug benefit and lowering prices

Nearly all persons on Medicare (85%) depend upon prescription drugs but one out of three have no drug coverage. Prescription drug prices are rising at double-digit rates. Medicare beneficiaries who most purchase drugs on their own are often charged twice as much as large customers who are able to negotiate for discounted prices, according to studies by the House Government Reform Committee staff.
Help senior citizens and persons with disabilities who face enormous out-of-pocket costs for health care

Senior citizens on Medicare continue to pay, on average, over 20 percent of their incomes on out-of-pocket costs. As a result, many either go without needed care or have to give up other necessities in order to afford care. Medicare, unlike private insurance, does not cap annual out-of-pocket costs for the services it covers – so there is no limit on what an individual senior might have to pay.
Expand access to Medicare

Medicare is a highly cost-effective way of providing health care, spending less than 5% on administrative costs while many insurers pay 20% or more for administrative, high CEO salaries, and profits.

The Campaign for Social and Health Security has drafted the following Pledge to Support Social & Health Security, which has been sent to all NJ Congressional Delegates. Please support our campaign by calling on your Congressional representative to sign on to the Pledge. (You can print this page)

Pledge to Support Social & Health Security

I pledge to vote against any legislation that will privatize either Social Security or Medicare, turn Medicare over to HMO’s or other private insurance plans, or does not guarantee at least the same comprehensive Social Security and Medicare benefits seniors have today.
I pledge to support using the federal budget surplus to keep Social Security and Medicare strong and I pledge to reform Medicare coverage to provide affordable prescription drug coverage to all beneficiaries as a step towards health care for all.
I pledge to support real managed care reform through the Patient’s Bill of Rights (H.R. 358), including the right to sue HMO’s when they deny needed care, and I will sign the discharge petition that will force Congress to vote on the bill.

______________________ on _________________

MEMBER OF CONGRESS on DATE

Return this Pledge to NJCA by Fax: (732)214-8385

For more information, contact Bridget Devane, Phone: (732)246-4772, or Email: bridget@njcitizenaction.org