October 10, 2014
MEDIA ADVISORY
The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare will be joined by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Dr. Heidi Hartmann, Institute for Women's Policy Research and Dr. Judy Feder, Georgetown Professor and Urban Institute Fellow, to brief Congressional staff and interested media on the need for income equality, financial security and health protection for women of all ages.
While Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are vitally important to all Americans, they are especially important to the economic and health security of women. Not only do women, on average, live longer than men they also earn less in Social Security benefits. In 2012, 11 percent of older women lived in poverty compared to 6.6 percent of older men. Women are more likely to suffer from three or more chronic health conditions including arthritis, hypertension and osteoporosis. More than half of Medicare’s 52 million beneficiaries are women; for beneficiaries 85 and over, nearly 70 percent are women. All of these fiscal realities for millions of American women increase the risk that they may outlive their savings, impoverishing them and their families.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
121 Cannon House Office Building
Moderator
Max Richtman – National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare President/CEO
Speakers
- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
- Dr. Heidi Hartmann – President, Institute for Women's Policy Research
- Dr. Judy Feder – Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University and Institute Fellow, The Urban Institute
- Dr. Brenda Sulick – Eleanor’s Hope Project Director, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
There are a number of legislative proposals that could bring an end to the disparity between men’s and women’s income, health and retirement security by improving benefits in Social Security and Medicare such as:
- Providing Social Security credits for caregivers
- Improving Social Security survivor benefits
- Equalizing Social Security’s rules for disabled widows
- Strengthening the Social Security Cost of Living Allowance
- Boosting the basic Social Security benefit of all current and future beneficiaries
- Building on preventive care provisions in the Affordable Care Act and expanding coordination of care for beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions.
- Generating greater savings on the cost of prescription drugs by increasing manufacturer discounts, allowing Medicare to receive the same drug rebates as Medicaid for dual-eligibles and promoting lower drug costs by providing for faster development of generic drugs.
The National Committee has launched a new project, “Eleanor’s Hope” named in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt, to mobilize women of all ages to advocate for income equality, income security and health protection for women.
The goal of Eleanor’s Hope is to raise awareness through community–based and on-line education, recruit and train new activists and support Congressional leaders who are making a difference on women’s income, health and retirement security issues, advocating for legislation that addresses the economic and health inequities threatening millions of retired women.
###
The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff. The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better-informed citizens and voters.
Media Inquiries to:
Pamela Causey 202-216-8378/202-236-2123
Kim Wright 202-216-8414