John Kerry, Democrat
Social Security | Health Care Affordability | Prescription Drug Costs| Long Term Care
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Create individual accounts out of Social Security |
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John Kerry |
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Question
Do you support or oppose replacing part of Social Security with individual accounts?
AARP Response
AARP strongly opposes replacing ANY part of Social Security with private individual accounts. Social Security is not in crisis. Without any changes in current law, Social Security can pay 100% of benefits until 2042. But private individual accounts funded with Social Security dollars mean Social Security would face financial problems sooner.
"Personal control" sounds appealing. But substituting private individual accounts, even for part of Social Security, drains money from Social Security, which means less money to pay guaranteed benefits.
Creating these private individual accounts requires trading today's inflation-protected lifetime guaranteed benefit for an account subject to market risk and not guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Inflation, market turns, or sudden loss of employment can also mean that your private individual account may not have enough money to provide an adequate benefit. AARP supports options that help Americans save for their retirement through individual accounts on top of Social Security; but opposes replacing any part of Social Security's guaranteed benefit.
Candidate Response: John Kerry
I am opposed to privatizing or partially privatizing Social Security because it would leave America's seniors vulnerable to the whims of the financial markets and without a secure retirement. The cost of privatizing Social Security and paying promised benefits is at least $1 trillion - which will throw us into even worse deficits.
Instead of investing in an expensive and risky gamble that jeopardizes the livelihood of millions of Americans, I will invest in the long-term solvency of Social Security. One of the most important things we can do to strengthen Social Security is to grow the economy, create jobs, and increase revenues into the program.
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Provide employer incentives |
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Expand public programs. |
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Question
In the face of escalating costs, how would you reform the health care system to make it available, affordable and accessible for every American?
AARP Response
AARP supports measures to achieve access to affordable health care coverage for all individuals, an approach that would address the needs of those without public or private insurance or those at risk of losing coverage.
In the absence of universal coverage, AARP supports incremental reforms specifically targeted to particular populations that significantly improve coverage options for those without public or private insurance or those at risk of losing coverage.
These reforms include:
- Opening existing public programs (e.g. Medicaid) to new categories of people who are uninsured;
- Inducing employers to offer coverage;
- Subsidizing the cost of private coverage for those who are uninsured, underinsured, or at risk of losing coverage;
- Expanding the continuation of group health care coverage at group rates to persons whose access is ending (e.g. expanding COBRA coverage).
Candidate Response: John Kerry
Skyrocketing health care costs not only make it difficult for Americans to afford quality, reliable coverage, but many are losing their insurance as they are priced out of the health care market. My plan covers 95 percent of Americans, including nearly all kids and their families. By having the federal government pick up part of the tab for certain high-cost health cases, Americans will see their family insurance premiums decrease by as much as $1,000 annually.
My health care plans also lets people buy into the same health plan as Members of Congress, and it gives small businesses a tax credit to make coverage affordable. Americans 55 to 64 are the fastest growing group of uninsured. To make coverage more affordable, I'll provide people between the ages of 55 to 64 a tax credit to buy into the Congressional Health Care Plan, which provides quality coverage, including prescription drug coverage.
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Close coverage gap for all Medicare beneficiaries |
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Supports legal importation from Canada |
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Supports HHS secretary negotiations |
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John Kerry |
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Question
How would you propose to reduce drug costs and close the gap in coverage for all Medicare beneficiaries?
AARP Response
Legislation adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare became law in 2003. While this is a good first step, the benefit does not cover the drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100 for most Medicare beneficiaries. AARP supports closing the gap in coverage for all beneficiaries and believes that more must be done to bring down soaring drug prices. AARP supports the legal importation of prescription drugs beginning with Canada and allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries if competitive purchasing doesn't work.
Candidate Response: John Kerry
Older Americans deserve a President who will provide real relief, such as allowing seniors to access safe, affordable prescription drugs available abroad and ensuring that the federal government negotiates better drug prices. As president, I will enact legislation to allow for safe re-importation of FDA-approved medications, require the Secretary of HHS to negotiate for more affordable prescription drug prices, and end artificial barriers to generic drug competition. I also will work to phase-out the costly gaps in coverage that seniors will face under the current Medicare prescription drug plan. As President, helping all seniors and eligible Americans with disabilities afford prescription drugs will be among my top priorities.
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Giving individuals more and better home and community based care options |
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Increased training and staffing numbers across all settings |
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Expanding stable financing sources |
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Question
What do you propose to give consumers more and better options for long term care; promote better, more integrated delivery systems; expand stable financing sources for all long term care options, especially in home and community based settings; and strengthen support for family caregivers?
AARP Response
At some point, most Americans will need some help with daily activities (such as dressing or bathing). Many will also need other supportive services. Currently, the U.S. has no national policy or established system for delivering these services to Americans with long term care needs. The caregiving burden on millions of families is often overwhelming.
AARP supports measures that provide individuals' access to long term care services and assure quality - especially those services in people's homes and communities, so that fewer people need to move to institutions. These improvements can be done by:
- increasing consumer control and decision-making;
- supporting caregivers through respite care and tax credits;
- making it easier to find the services that are right for an individual's circumstances;
- building an efficient system to deliver services, whether in homes, communities, or institutions;
- increasing training and numbers of direct care staff across all settings; and
- improving coordination between medical and long-term care.
Expanding home and community-based services will reduce the cost burden to individuals and families, meet their preferences, and help prevent unnecessary institutionalization.
Candidate Response: John Kerry
I will work to expand coverage for home and community-based services under Medicaid. Too often seniors are forced into nursing homes because Medicaid doesn't offer enough flexibility for home and community based care. I oppose attempts, such as those made by the Bush Administration, to block grant or cut the Medicaid program. In fact, I have proposed investing an additional $25 billion in state relief, which could be used to strengthen state long-term care systems. But Medicaid cannot be expected to carry the full burden. I will work to support family caregivers by improving access to information, training, and respite and counseling services.
