WASHINGTON - July 26 - STACY SANDERS, ssanders at wowonline.org, @wowonlinewow
Sanders is the director of the Elder Economic Security Initiative, a branch of Wider Opportunities for Women. She said today: “With a decline in employer-based pensions and losses in personal retirement plans due to the recession, older Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Health care costs are a major component of older Americans’ monthly budgets. According to the national Elder Economic Security Standard Index, a single older adult on Medicare needs $254 per month to cover basic health care costs, including premiums, co-pays and prescription support. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid could break the bank for seniors, causing them to go without needed medication, postpone check-ups or even avoid calling 911 in times of dire need.”

Wider Opportunities for Women has put out several news releases on the issue. See: “The Economic Security of Seniors Will Be Threatened by Medicare and Social Security Cuts.”

KATHY LIM KO, via Andrew Sousa, asousa at apiahf.org, @APIAHF
Ko is president and CEO of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum. She said today: “We hope that future budget negotiations and debt-ceiling considerations protect Medicaid. Any changes to Medicaid’s structure, including funding caps and block-granting, will only increase racial and ethnic health disparities and leave millions of hard-working Americans without reliable access to health care. Our road map to economic recovery cannot rely on tax cuts for the wealthy and the dismantling of essential services for those who need it the most.”

Ko also said: “Our deficit reduction plans should neither increase poverty nor inequality. More than 1 in 10 Asian Americans and 1 in 7 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are enrolled in Medicaid and millions of low- and moderate-income people depend on Medicaid for health coverage.”

ELEANOR HINTON HOYTT, via Denise Espie, despie at blackwomenshealth.org, @blkwomenshealth
Hoytt is president and CEO of Black Women’s Health Imperative.