PA Volunteers Visit Capitol Hill to Urge Separate Social Security Debate, Press for Responsible Solutions to Strengthen Medicare

 AARP volunteers and staff from Pennsylvania and every other state in the nation visited Capitol Hill today to express opposition to the President’s proposed Social Security benefit cut known as Chained CPI and to support responsible solutions to strengthen Medicare for Pennsylvanians. Meeting with Pennsylvania Senators Casey and Toomey, and Representatives Barletta, Cartwright, Kelly, Meehan, Perry, Rothfus, Shuster and their staff, AARP volunteers urged our representatives to have a separate debate on Social Security and to back specific proposals that would strengthen Medicare and the health care system overall.

"Our families, friends, and neighbors want Washington to listen to them when it comes to Medicare and Social Security,” said AARP Pennsylvania State President Jim Palmquist. “They’ve made their voices heard online, at community meetings and events all over Pennsylvania, and today we’ve brought their message to Washington with the hope that we can go home and tell the people who live in our neighborhoods that Congress will strengthen these lifeline programs that matter so much to us.”

In addition to pushing for a broader retirement security debate on Social Security that is separate from ongoing budget negotiations, AARP Pennsylvania volunteers and staff discussed embracing health care reforms that eliminate waste and improve care in order to drive positive change throughout the entire health care system and bring down health care costs for everyone, including in Medicare. 

By taking action on items that include reducing waste and inefficiency, improving care coordination, and reforming Medicare’s payment incentives to doctors and hospitals in Pennsylvania for providing good care, Medicare can remain strong into the future.

AARP Pennsylvania volunteers and staff will continue to oppose harmful cuts and push for responsible change to strengthen Medicare and Social Security when they return home from Washington. For more on specific Medicare solutions AARP  supports visit our Medicare solutions fact sheet.