Medicare Would Severly Affect the Women of Our Country
Statement
I took the time to learn some very important facts about how cutting Medicare would severely affect the women of our country. They are our mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and friends. My deep concern is for all women including my wife Marty, my sisters and my four daughters. Did you know that women, on average, live longer than men, have lower incomes than men, and have more chronic conditions than men? Many women have earned less than men during their work tenure and often have scaled back careers to care for their families. This is why securing Medicare is vital to their wellbeing. As Republicans move in Congress to end Medicare as we know it, I have put together important facts on the impact Medicare changes would have on women:
· Women are more dependent on Medicare than men for their retirement security (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation)
o Women represent 56% of Medicare's population --over 1.6 million in Texas alone
o 70% of Medicare beneficiaries 85 and older are women
o 49% of women on Medicare have three or more chronic conditions, compared to 38% of men
· Increased health care costs will be particularly damaging to women
o According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget office, the 2012 budget would double out of pocket health care costs for seniors by 2022
o With more women than men ending up in the Medicare prescription drug "donut hole,' many will face unaffordable high prescription costs
· Free preventive care that went into effect in January will be repealed
o The Affordable Care Act did away with the 20% coinsurance payments for preventive benefits such as mammograms, breast and bone density exams and Pap tests and pelvic exams
o If free preventive care is repealed, many older women will fail to get needed preventive screenings because of copayments they cannot afford
I am committed to protecting the health care needs of women, so many of which have made personal financial sacrifices in order to care for the health and wellbeing of their family members, friends, loved ones and others. I am committed to ensuring that women, especially those living in the 15th District of Texas, do not lose health coverage.
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