Point of View: Support our seniors and nonprofits — protect Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP
The turnaround at Homer Senior Citizens Center (HSC) is nothing short of miraculous, thanks to the leadership of Executive Director Sarah Weideman and the revitalized board since last May. They’ve tackled financial mismanagement and adopted inclusive, lawful, community-focused policies that are transforming HSC!
Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski deserve gratitude for stepping up during the IRS crisis to do their jobs, help their constituents, and protect this vital organization and its residents.
However, HSC is just one of many critical nonprofits at financially risk under H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill. We have many organizations that work equally as hard to provide services to our fellow community members who need a helping hand. They are all being stretched to the breaking point with changes in funding and H.R. 1 threatens dramatically impact the numbers of people needing their help if passed.
This bill proposes deep cuts to SNAP, Medicaid and Medicare, programs that directly support seniors, low-income residents, people with disabilities and rural health care providers. Thirteen million older Americans are threatened by or experiencing hunger. SNAP (formerly known as “food stamps”) is under threat of being cut by 30%. One in 10 Alaskans use SNAP, and 33% of these participants are older people or people with disabilities.
Medicaid provides insurance to 279,000 Alaskans (76,000 through Medicaid expansion). Cutting Medicaid, especially the expansion program, will impact all hospitals in the state, potentially resulting in hospital closures, delivery of care in other health care settings, and a significant impact on the state’s economy due to the interconnectedness of health care dollars to the entirety of the Alaskan economy.
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Denials of H.R.1 containing no Medicare cuts are disingenuous. Medicare, the primary insurer for older Americans, provides coverage for 67.3 million seniors and people with disabilities, will forcibly be cut due to laws that trigger $490 billion in Medicare cuts to offset deficit increases due to the proposed tax cuts for the rich.
While Sen. Sullivan helped save HSC from the IRS, that victory is hollow if he supports cuts that harm its senior residents, ultimately undermines the monumental effort put forth by the executive director and board of directors to save HSC and sinks our other vital nonprofits due to overload and inadequate support.
Support HSC and our other nonprofits that support seniors — urge our senators to protect Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP.
Sallie Rediske is a Homer resident.