Seniors
As a Member of Congress, I am deeply committed to protecting the programs that our seniors rely on most. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are all critical to ensuring our seniors can retire with dignity. I will fight to strengthen these programs and prevent changes that would limit accessibility or negatively reconfigure eligibility.
Social Security
Since the original Social Security Act was signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, Social Security has grown to become an essential lifeline for retired and disabled Americans. Today, Social Security is the nation’s cornerstone economic security program. Social Security is more than a government program—it is a promise between each generation of workers. I am and will always be an unwavering champion of protecting and strengthening the Social Security benefits that our workers have earned through a lifetime of hard work. Every year that I have served in Congress, I have successfully led a push to increase funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to ensure that SSA offices have the resources to serve the greatest number of beneficiaries. I won’t stop fighting until we have an adequately funded, adequately staffed SSA able to serve every American in need.
As long as I have the honor of serving my constituents in Congress, I will remain a steadfast voice for protecting and strengthening Social Security.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare and Medicaid are imperative programs for seniors, and I will do everything I can to fight privatization efforts and cuts. We must instead strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and empower them with the tools to effectively deliver affordable health care as they are on the frontline in the fight against skyrocketing health care costs and outrageous prescription drug prices. I have been leading the charge in Congress to finally give Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices to ensure that Americans are no longer price-gouged for life-saving medications. We can then use these savings to expand Medicare to finally cover hearing, dental and vision care for our seniors.
I know how important both Medicare and Medicaid are to seniors. For the most part, Medicare does not cover nursing home care but someone turning 65 years old today has almost a 70 percent chance of needing some type of long-term care in their remaining years. These seniors very often rely on Medicaid. In fact, Medicaid covers six in ten nursing home residents. I will continue fighting to prevent cuts to Medicaid so that our seniors and people with disabilities can get the care they need.
I am also very proud that my amendment to the Dignity in Aging Act to provide mental health screenings for seniors was included in the final legislation signed into law by the President. The Dignity in Aging Act reauthorized and builds on the Older Americans Act, which funds vital programs like Meals on Wheels. This bipartisan legislation that I helped pass gave these vital seniors programs an immediate seven percent increase in fiscal year 2020 and a six percent increase every year thereafter.
More on Seniors
Washington, DC – Today, Representative Susan Wild voted to pass H.R. 3171, the bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. The bill brings the prior authorization process into the 21st century, a process that often requires the use of outdated technology such as the faxing of documents to insurance companies.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Susan Wild voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act—historic legislation that delivers on many of Rep. Wild’s priorities since taking office: empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices, lowering health care costs, taking action on climate change, creating good paying jobs, and making the economy work for working people. The House’s passage of this legislation comes after the Senate passed this same legislation.
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Susan Wild issued the following statement after the Senate’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act:
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) led a letter with 40 House Democrats addressed to leadership, urging them to take up legislative action as quickly as possible to lower drug prices. She is joined in sending the letter by Representatives Dwight Evans (PA-03), Ritchie Torres, (NY-15), Bobby Rush (IL-01), Andy Kim (NJ-03), John Larson (CT-01), James McGovern (MA-02), Cindy Axne (IA-03), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Colin Allred (TX-32), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Peter Welch (VT), Katie Porter
(PA-07) — Today, Rep. Susan Wild highlighted a new report from the White House outlining how she delivered more than double the annual investment to help Pennsylvania families afford energy costs. In total Rep.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Susan Wild (PA-07) and Cindy Axne (IA-03) sent a letter to President Biden and leadership in the House and Senate to urge preventative action against harmful cuts to Medicare reimbursements. These cuts are set to take effect on January 1st, 2022 and would devastate frontline workers, including those at hospitals and other health care settings.
Washington, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Susan Wild (PA-07) along with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to lower prescription drug costs for children and hard-working families. The Fair Drug Prices For Kids Act would give states the ability to purchase medication at the lowest price offered by drug manufacturers, lowering the costs of those medications for millions of children and saving state and federal dollars.
Today, Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) released the following statement announcing additional funding for counties and local governments in her district as part of the American Rescue Plan.