Iowa Seniors Talk Medicare and Social Security During Congressional Telephone Town Hall

Press Release

Congressman Tom Latham's Telephone Town Hall Focuses on Needs and Opinions of Iowa Seniors

Iowa Congressman Tom Latham hosted a telephone town hall with Iowa seniors to listen and focus on the issues most important to them on Monday.

Congressman Latham spent the hour listening to comments from Iowa seniors and answering their questions on topics ranging from Medicare and Social Security to the national debt and energy policy.

"I always welcome the opportunity to listen to the concerns of Iowa's seniors," Congressman Latham said. "Our representative democracy works best when the people let their government know where they stand on the issues. Monday's telephone town hall produced some valuable input on retirement security, health security and a number of critical issues. I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate in the call."

Medicare policy and the new health care law were top concerns for many participants in the telephone town hall. More than three-quarters of respondents to a poll question asked during the telephone town hall said they think the half a trillion dollar cut to Medicare contained in President Obama's new health care law is a bad idea. Congressman Latham noted a recent report from the Medicare Trustees that projected a key Medicare trust fund will be depleted by 2024, five years earlier than previous predictions.

"We simply can't afford to take a half-trillion dollars out of Medicare to pay for a brand new entitlement," Congressman Latham said. "Instead, we need to preserve benefits for current recipients and those nearing retirement while guaranteeing the program's solvency for future generations of Americans. The new health care law takes us in the wrong direction, and it must be repealed."

Congressman Latham has introduced his own health care legislation, HR 364, which would crack down on the estimated $60 billion in Medicare fraud each year. Latham's bill would save Medicare billions of dollars each year, which would help extend the solvency of Medicare.

"Our nation's leaders have kicked the can down the road time and again when it comes to dealing with the looming Medicare crisis," Congressman Latham said. "It's time to take action and get common-sense results for Iowa seniors. I stand ready to work with any of my colleagues in Congress and with the White House to put together a plan to save Medicare from bankruptcy without cutting benefits for seniors. It can be done, but we have to act now."

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