Press Release
Medicare Rights Center
New York State Alliance for Retired Americans
StateWide Senior Action Council, New York City Chapter
Joint Public Affairs Committee for Older Adults
New York Citizens Committee on Aging
Hispanic Senior Action CouncilFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Deane Beebe
Communications Director
212-204-6219
Medicare Rights Center
December 12, 2005
Advocates for Older New Yorkers Call for White House Conference on Aging to Support Medicare Drug Benefit Changes and Affirm a Guaranteed Social Security Benefit New York, NY - A coalition of organizations representing older New Yorkers and union retirees called today for the 2005 White House Conference on Aging to support changes in the new Medicare prescription drug benefit and to affirm the importance of Social Security as a guaranteed social insurance benefit, without diverting funds into private plans.
The coalition is concerned that the final resolutions of the 2005 White House Conference, which begins this week in Washington, D.C., will not strongly call for these positions.
"The Bush Administration's pattern of hostility toward America's 'greatest generation' has caused great damage," said Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national consumer service organization. "Congress must put an end to private profiteering and make enacting a real Medicare drug benefit a priority, when it returns next session."
"It's clear that older Americans affirm and support Social Security as a social insurance program and have rejected the latest effort by the Bush Administration to privatize the program. The conference needs to ratify that widely held position of seniors all across the nation," said Michael Burgess, executive director of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans, representing 525,000 union retirees in the state.
"We are doing extensive outreach and education on the new Medicare drug benefit and it is clear that it has to be simplified, the penalty rules relaxed, and a standard government plan available for those who choose it," said Rochelle Mangual, president of the New York City chapter of the StateWide Senior Action Council.
"Older New Yorkers are being challenged on many fronts right now, with Medicaid facing cuts, confusion about the new Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, and Social Security and pensions being threatened," said Molly Krakowski of the Joint Public Affairs Committee for Older Adults. "There is a sense of betrayal among older people."
New York State sent 75 delegates to the conference which is held every ten years. Delegates are expected to approve a large number of resolutions on many issues in addition to Medicare and Social Security, including long-term care, civic engagement, older workers, housing, and transportation. The State Office for the Aging held forums across the state during the spring and summer to hear the concerns of older New Yorkers.