HERO Didn't Happen During the 2016 IN General Assembly Session, But...

That doesn’t mean this short session wasn’t an eventful one!   And, it certainly didn’t mean our work ended once the  Hoosier Employee Retirement Options bill, or HERO, did not receive the legislative action it deserved.

Here are some highlights of the recently-concluded session that touch upon our continued work on health and financial security issues:

• Passage of a bill that expands access to telemedicine services.  We testified in support of House Bill 1263 because AARP believes that telemedicine holds the promise of multiple solutions to help people access health care and long-term services and supports in new ways, and to make it easier for family caregivers to care for their loved ones.
• Passage of a bill that will formally study and explore palliative care options - a quality of life issue that AARP takes very seriously.
• Passage of a bill that examines alternative loans in terms of how consumers and lenders are affected.  Protecting the financial security of hard-working Hoosiers is one of our top priorities.

Speaking of financial security,  we were very disappointed that HERO, a bill which would have expanded access to private retirement savings options, did not get its due day before the General Assembly.  Hard-working Hoosiers deserve to retire with peace of mind and financial security. Far too few do because of insufficient savings and trying to live on an average monthly Social Security benefit of $1,300. HERO bridges this gap by:

• Connecting those Hoosiers who work for an employer that doesn’t offer a retirement savings plan –roughly 1,076,000 of Indiana’s private sector employees - with enhanced access to private retirement savings options;
• And, capitalizing on the fact that people are 15 times more likely to save if they can do so through work.

Rest assured, we will continue working to shore up support for HERO throughout the remainder of the year.  If you’d like to  add your name as a HERO Helper, we’d very much appreciate it.

To follow our efforts inside and outside of the State House, it’s best to catch us on  Facebook. Thank you for fighting with us on issues that affect Hoosiers 50+ and their families.  Your continued support is what keeps us going.