Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Friday released a multifaceted plan to improve care for seniors — including lowering prescription drug costs, strengthening retirement funds and Social Security benefits, and investing in long-term treatments.
Building on her leadership in the Senate, according to a statement outlining the plan, Klobuchar would “continue to stand up for our seniors and the 10,000 Americans who turn 65 each day.”
What would the plan do?
The first step helps those with chronic conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease. Klobuchar’s plan would expand resources for caregivers, letting patients stay in their homes longer. It would expand Medicare-covered services for Alzheimer’s, fund greater research and changes to public health infrastructure, and improve mental health care through depression treatment and suicide prevention efforts.
To secure retirement opportunities, Klobuchar would lift the Social Security payroll cap, create a portable personal savings account requiring a minimum employer contribution and push to let retirees keep their earned pensions.
The Senator pledged to lower drug prescription prices under Medicare Part D, allow personal importation from countries like Canada and crack down on “Pay-for-Delay” agreements. Under Medicare, she would increase coverage for dental, vision and hearing.
To further invest in long-term care, the plan includes tax credits to offset costs, guaranteed paid family leave for caregivers, incentives for employers to provide long-term care insurance on an opt-out basis, and loan forgiveness programs for care workers.
The final step is preventing fraud and reducing seniors’ costs of living. Klobuchar would create a new senior fraud prevention office during her first 100 days as president and improve responses to elder-abuse claims. She would reverse the Trump administration’s proposed changes to federal housing subsidies, while expanding support for programs around affordable housing, energy, nutrition assistance and transportation.
All policies would target underserved communities: African Americans and Latinx community members will represent almost 40 percent of the families affected by Alzheimer’s disease by 2030, the statement read. Improvements in research and public health infrastructure would focus on tribal, minority and rural populations. Separately, Klobuchar would expand telehealth and rural health services, maintaining rural hospitals and creating a new Rural Emergency Hospital classification under Medicare. She committed to reducing disparities in access to long-term-care service and retirement savings, as well.
How would it work?
To pay for implementation, Klobuchar would “close the trust fund loopholes that allow the wealthy to avoid paying taxes on inherited wealth.”
What have other Democrats proposed?
Klobuchar’s plan for seniors compiles various policies. But several other Democratic candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, have spoken publicly about expanding Social Security and lowering prescription drug costs, calling for Medicare to directly negotiate prices.
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