Below is a statement strongly opposing Trump’s 2018 budget from Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director of Justice in Aging:
“President Trump’s 2018 budget is an attack on the millions of older adults who already live on meager incomes and struggle to pay their rent, buy food, and meet their health needs. The budget imposes massive cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and other critical programs that many older adults rely on for their health and economic security.”
“The budget would cut Medicaid by up to $1.3 trillion over 10 years, layering additional cuts on top of the AHCA's already-drastic cuts of over $800 billion. This amounts to slashing Medicaid nearly in half over the next decade, and would leave millions of low-income older adults without the health care services they desperately need."
“The budget would also slash Social Security by over $72 billion, reducing benefits provided through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and cutting billions from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. These cuts would force low-income seniors and people with disabilities who depend on SSDI and SSI to pay for housing, food, and other essentials to live even further below the poverty line, threatening their very survival.”
“Contrary to many reports that older adults are spared by this budget, this budget includes historic cuts to anti-poverty programs that provide an array of vital services to older adults including the Legal Services Corporation, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIPS), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Centers for Disease Control’s Fall Prevention Program, Senior Corps, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Social Service Block Grants, Community Service Block Grants, and Community Development Block Grants.”
“All of these cuts have a cumulative impact on the health and economic security of older adults and people with disabilities, especially when combined with the cuts to Medicaid proposed in the AHCA.”
As the budget process continues throughout the summer in the House and Senate, we’ll be providing further analysis and calls to action about what you can do to stop this budget from becoming a reality. We will work to protect critical programs like Medicaid and Social Security, and ensure that legislators know we will not allow them push the millions of older adults who are already struggling even further into poverty.
Justice in Aging is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law. Formerly the National Senior Citizens Law Center, since 1972 we’ve worked for access to affordable health care and economic security for older adults with limited resources, focusing especially on populations that have traditionally lacked legal protection such as women, people of color, LGBT individuals, and people with limited English proficiency. Through targeted advocacy, litigation, and the trainings and resources we provide to local advocates, we ensure access to the social safety net programs that poor seniors depend on, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Contact: Vanessa Barrington
510-256-1200 direct
vbarrington@justiceinaging.org
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