Berkshire Senior - Protecting and Strengthening Healthcare for Seniors

Op-Ed

By Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) are important programs operating in all 50 states that help beneficiaries enroll in the Medicare plans that are right for them, resolve billing issues, and navigate the Medicare system. Across the country, seniors and SHIP counselors are fighting to preserve this program, and I am committed to working to strengthen SHIP in the federal budget.

In Massachusetts, SHIP funds support the Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) program, free to Medicare beneficiaries or those about to become eligible for Medicare. SHINE programs are available across the state through local councils on aging, senior centers, and other community-based agencies, or by phone.

I hear from seniors across the state who have questions about their Medicare coverage or need help navigating the Medicare system. The SHINE program has been an important tool for many beneficiaries. SHINE provides a guide as patients evaluate their options, seek to understand the new Medicare card, or look for ways to lower health care costs.

Cutting SHIP funds would have devastating consequences on the SHINE program and on seniors and people with disabilities. During the last budget fight, President Trump proposed wiping out funding for these important programs. I'm glad that in the final FY 2018 funding bill, Congress instead protected these programs and actually increased funding by $2 million.

We are now in the middle of a new budget fight, and President Trump has once again proposed wiping out funding for SHIP. 3 This senseless cut would only hurt seniors and people with disabilities, taking away one of the main resources available to help these individuals access the health care they deserve. I have been working with several other senators to push for additional funding for SHIP.

While we work to provide robust funding for SHIP, we must also continue fighting to strengthen Medicare. Republicans in Congress have supported proposals that would harm critical programs for seniors and individuals with disabilities, including turning Medicare into a voucher program or altering Medicare eligibility requirements. I oppose these proposals because they would mean cutting benefits for seniors, people with disabilities, and families that need health coverage. Pushing medical costs onto the shoulders of our seniors who have already worked a lifetime for the promise of Medicare is fundamentally wrong.

People worked hard to earn their Medicare coverage -- it is not a handout. SHIP was designed to support our nation's seniors and people with permanent disabilities in their communities and make sure they get the care they were promised. As your senator in Washington, I am focused on protecting and strengthening every one of these promises.

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