Nebraskans have earned their say on Social Security and Medicare

Bob Eppler

In April, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees issued their annual evaluations of the programs. According to the trustees, Social Security can pay full benefits until 2033, and roughly three-quarters of promised benefits beyond that time. Medicare's Hospital Insurance Trust Fund faces a shorter timeframe for action.

That's simply not good enough. It's past time for our elected leaders to listen to their constituents about the undeniable importance of Medicare and Social Security. They are increasingly vital in a time when traditional employer pensions and retiree health benefits are disappearing; savings rates are meager and home values remain low.

It's not about abstract numbers -- the reality is that these programs are essential to the well-being of thousands of Nebraskans.

In Nebraska, 309,000 people receive Social Security benefits. The average annual benefit is $13,500 and accounts for half or more income for 53 percent of older Nebraskans. About 19 percent receive virtually all their income from Social Security. (In Red Willow County, 2,470 residents receive Social Security and the average annual benefit is $12,564). As for Medicare, over 280,000 Nebraskans count on the program to help them afford health care, including guaranteed coverage for doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs.

These realities are why we need to keep Medicare and Social Security strong, not only for today's retirees but for our children and grandchildren. Any reforms should be part of a broad effort to bolster retirement security for Americans, not a rush for a budget deal or to promote a partisan agenda.

The Trustees' reports are a call to action. The longer Washington postpones addressing the challenges ahead for Medicare and Social Security, the more difficult it will become for workers to plan their futures. Now is the time for an open, national conversation focused on strengthening health and retirement security so today's seniors and future generations receive the benefits they have earned.

That's why AARP has launched You've Earned a Say -- to help Americans make their voices heard about the future of Medicare and Social Security by taking the debate out from behind closed doors in Washington. Throughout the summer and fall, AARP is hosting listening sessions, debates, town halls and bus tours across our state, including a community conversation for McCook residents on July 19 at the Heritage Senior Center.

Why should Nebraskans care about joining this conversation? Their health and retirement security are at stake, and they have earned their say by paying into Social Security and Medicare for years. While Washington may not be listening yet, we are. AARP wants to hear what Nebraskans are thinking. We want to ensure that Nebraskans' voices are heard in the upcoming election and beyond. The next president and Congress are likely to make decisions about the future of Medicare and Social Security that could affect Nebraska seniors today and for generations to come.

AARP seeks a straightforward conversation about these issues, minus the spin or exaggeration we hear so often out of Washington. Whatever policies are proposed, our elected officials need to hear about their real-world impact on Nebraskans and their families. They need to know that the future of Medicare and Social Security isn't just a debate about budget numbers -- it's about decisions that will alter people's lives.

The debate has begun and the stakes are high. Nebraskans have earned a right to weigh in. To make your voice heard, join us in McCook on July 19 or visit www.earnedasay.org.

Bob Eppler, of Omaha, is state president of AARP Nebraska.