AARP Georgia visits Capitol Hill to urge Congress to protect Social Security, Medicare

Macon-area resident and AARP Georgia Executive Council Member Myrtle Habersham visited Capitol Hill Tuesday, June 12, to express opposition to President Barack Obama’s proposal to cut Social Security benefits.  She also pressed for “responsible solutions” to strengthen Medicare.

Habersham was joined by AARP Georgia State Director Greg Tanner. They met with five members of the Georgia Congressional delegation and/or their staffs: U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, and U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey, John Lewis and Tom Price. Habersham and Tanner urged all five members of Congress to have a separate debate on Social Security – separate from budget wrangling – and to back specific proposals that would strengthen Medicare and the health care system overall.

“Georgians want Washington to listen to them when it comes to Medicare and Social Security,” said Habersham. “They’ve made their voices heard online and at community meetings throughout Georgia. Today we’ve brought their message to Washington. They want Congress to strengthen these lifeline programs that matter so much to all of us.”

In addition to pushing for a broader retirement security debate on Social Security that is separate from ongoing budget negotiations, Habersham and Tanner 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.

Medicare can remain strong if we take action on items that include reducing waste and inefficiency, improving care coordination, and reforming Medicare’s payment incentives to doctors and hospitals for providing good care, Habersham and Tanner emphasized. For more on the specific Medicare solutions that AARP supports, visit Medicare solutions fact sheet.

Tanner has been AARP Georgia state director since November. Habersham lives in Lizella and is principal at MS Habersham Consulting Services.