PARA Lobby Week a Success!
-
Feb 26, 2009 Posted by Adam Swope
During President’s Day Week, members of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans met with their members of Congress to discuss issues important to seniors. In each visit, we discussed the importance of fixing Medicare by:
· Offering a Medicare option for prescription drug coverage, and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
· Reducing over-payments to private insurance companies that participate in so-called “Medicare Advantage”.
· Allowing uninsured individuals between the ages of 55-64 to buy in to Medicare.
· Ending efforts to privatize the program, such as the 2010 Demonstration Project.
Other issues were discussed as well, such as Social Security, important government programs that help seniors such as the Older Americans Act and LIHEAP, and the Employee Free Choice Act.
During President’s Day Week, Alliance members met with nine members of Congress or their staff:
Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Erie), Erie Cty.
Tim Murphy (R-Mt. Lebanon), Allegheny Cty.
Chris Carney (D-Clarks Summit), Lackawana Cty.
Paul Kanjorski (D-Wilkes-Barre), Luzerne Cty.
Charlie Dent (R-Bethlehem), Northampton Cty.
Joe Pitts (R-Lancaster), Lancaster Cty.
Jim Gerlach (R-Exton), Chester Cty.
Allyson Schwartz (D-Jenkintown), Montgomery Cty.
Patrick Murphy (D-Doylestown), Bucks Cty.
Three more visits are currently scheduled, with the possibility of more to come:
Tim Holden (D-Harrisburg), Dauphin Cty.
Mike Doyle (D-Pittsburgh), Allegheny Cty.
Joe Sestak (D-Media), Delaware Cty.
As you can see, these visits covered every corner of our commonwealth, and met with Republicans and Democrats alike. Efforts like this build PARA’s resume as a strong advocacy group for seniors here in Pennsylvania. We had a significant impact on the 2008 elections, and now we have already begun to influence policy in 2009. Thank you to all who participated in our efforts!