Staying Fit
Medicare is a deal made with the American people that cannot be broken.
Getty Images
If you’ve been following the news lately, you know that President Trump has had a busy first week in the White House. As he signed executive orders, appointed high-level staff and hosted meetings in the Oval Office, our 45th president has made it abundantly clear that he’s eager to deliver on the promises he laid out during his campaign.
At AARP, the promise we’re focused on: his pledge to protect Medicare.
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
As you probably know, President Trump repeatedly said during his historic campaign that he would not allow changes to this popular program. “I am going to protect and save your Social Security and your Medicare,” he told voters. “You made a deal a long time ago.”
Since his election, his team has reiterated that vow. This month, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus told CBS News that President Trump has no plans to “meddle” with Medicare. “He made a promise during the campaign that that was something he didn’t want to do,” Priebus said.
Still, up on Capitol Hill, House leaders are scrambling to push ahead with their long-simmering proposal to turn Medicare into a so-called “premium support program.” What that means is they want to implement a voucher system — a fixed-dollar subsidy that beneficiaries would use to buy private insurance. Supporters of this scheme can make it all sound perfectly reasonable, but make no mistake about it: This would end the guarantee of health insurance coverage to American seniors and dramatically increase costs for current and future retirees.
AARP agrees with President Trump that Medicare is a deal made with the American people that cannot be broken. That’s why we’re launching an aggressive campaign to tell Congress that we’ve earned our Medicare benefits with every paycheck and that we’re going to fight against any proposal that would increase costs and risk for seniors and today’s workers.
More From AARP
AARP Opposes Health Care Bill
Proposal raises premiums and weakens Medicare
AARP Special Report: Why Medicare Matters
How proposed changes to Medicare could affect your wallet and your health care