Ron fights to make sure Medicare guarantee is protected in budget deal

Budget agreement passed by Congress includes important protections for seniors and vulnerable Americans championed by Ron

Last week, Congress passed a major budget agreement that will put a stop to the destructive budget battles in Washington that have threatened our economy for more than four years.

Ron championed two critical parts of the agreement to ensure seniors and people receiving Social Security don’t face the threat of increased health costs or benefit cuts next year.

First, the agreement keeps Medicare Part B premiums from spiking by more than 50% for nearly a third of Medicare beneficiaries. That’s more than 300,000 Oregonians. And it prevents a similar rise in deductibles for everyone in Medicare. Earlier this month Ron led the charge to make sure this issue was addressed by the end of the year by introducing a bill backed by nearly a third of the Senate.

Second, the budget agreement prevents a benefit cut for millions of disabled Americans who count on the Social Security Disability Insurance program. All workers who use the program have paid in, and it is unfair and wrong if they don’t receive what they have earned. Ron made it clear he would go to the mat for these vulnerable Americans when he led the introduction of a bill to ensure nobody faced benefit cuts next year. 

Bipartisan compromise is tough and rarely perfect, but when it protects benefits Americans have earned it’s important to step up and take action. In the coming months, Ron will continue fighting for folks who receive Medicare and Social Security and all those who don’t have powerful interest groups in Washington to stand up for them.