Helping seniors live in their own homes with dignity and independence
By Sen. John F. Kerry
I want to share some thoughts on making sure you can look forward to enjoying time with family and friends in your own home for years to come.
I know that rising health care costs, specifically the new Medicare prescription drug law, are foremost on your minds. I believe seniors deserve a comprehensive, affordable, guaranteed prescription drug benefit. However, the new Medicare prescription drug law fails to deliver on that promise. With the recent attempt to implement Medicare Part D, everyone from seniors to pharmacists has been subjected to; misinformation, confusion and a lack of answers from Medicare and especially from insurance companies.
Our seniors deserve better, much better. I will continue to support legislation that strengthens and improves Medicare rather than undermines it; one that won’t force seniors into HMOs, and will ultimately guarantee affordable, accessible, and comprehensive drug coverage. Rest assured, I will continue to fight for a comprehensive prescription drug program that offers real prescription coverage for seniors, and not one that just benefits insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
On another front, Massachusetts residents are battling the significant increase costs to heat their homes. In response to the home heating crisis, I have been working with my colleagues to provide an additional $3.1 billion for LIHEAP. That $3.1 billion in emergency funding coupled with the President’s budget request of $2 billion would bring LIHEAP funding to its fully-authorized level. Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $4,656,507 of LIHEAP funding for the residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I, along with my colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation will continue to fight to secure this critical funding.
In advocating for your independence in the Senate, I will continue to garner support to enhance the current infrastructure for providing home and community-based services. Home and community-based services that assist seniors with activities of daily living, such as personal care, meal preparation, and taking medicine, are critical. For instance, the Older Americans Act has been an indispensable source of support for millions of older Americans, who wish to maintain their independence. Creating a more coherent system of easily accessible community services, while making Medicaid more flexible to cover home and community-based services, is essential to support the goal of independent living and to providing all of you the ability to live safely and comfortably in your own home.
I am proud to fight for these important goals in the upcoming year.
John F. Kerry is a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
