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Van Hollen Statement on New Report Analyzing Growing Lifespan Gap Between Low and High Income Seniors

Statement

Date: Sept. 17, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Senior Citizens Unemployed and Low-Income

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement after the National Academy of Sciences released a report discussing the growing life expectancy gap between low and high income seniors and its policy implications:

"This study confirms that wealthier seniors tend to live longer than low-income seniors, with the gap widening as life expectancy grows for high earners. High-earners born in 1960 will actually receive more lifetime entitlement benefits than lower earners -- a clear indication that any proposals to raise the Social Security retirement age or the Medicare eligibility age are totally misguided. Such a proposal would place the greatest burden on low-income seniors who already face greater difficulty affording health care and a secure retirement. Instead of making life harder for older Americans, we should strengthen and expand Social Security by passing the Social Security 2100 Act."


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