Tell Congress and the White House: Open Medicare to Early Retirees!
Tell Congress and the White House: Open Medicare to Early Retirees!
The Issue
Covid-19 is forcing millions of people out of work. To survive, many older workers in their 50's like me are being asked, and in many cases forced, to take an early retirement. But there’s a looming problem: health insurance. We face expensive choices strewn with Catch-22 gotchas. And after working hard for 30 years like me, many of us early retirees must STILL wait a decade or more before turning 65 to join Medicare. Tough not being a high-level executive.....no golden parachutes for us!
Families USA reports that approximately 5.4 million Americans have lost their health insurance this year due to COVID-related layoffs. Some of these workers were let go with no notice, while others, like me, have been offered an "Early Out" package from our companies. But some of these offers still leave too much uncertainty to warrant serious consideration. Individuals, and perhaps their spouses, must still grapple with the fact that Medicare is not open to retirees until they turn 65. Affordable health insurance choices, while better under the Affordable Care Act, are still out of reach for many older Americans born after 1955.
There are a variety of industries hard-hit economically due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and thousands of companies, if they haven't already done so, are looking at large layoffs to come. Many economists are predicting that it could take years for the economy to rebound to its pre-COVID levels. But the reality is: during this economic downsizing, millions of Americans need economic security NOW. Affordable, accessible health care is crucial for people to have that peace of mind.
Let's stand up for fairness: if we longtime workers are forced out of our jobs before retirement age, we need an early opt-in to Medicare. “Early out, early in!” Waiting until age 65 to join Medicare is potentially life-threatening, and that's doubly true in the midst of this pandemic.
Please tell Congress and the White House: offer early retirees a simple fix. Let us opt into Medicare now. Please sign our petition today!
2,847
The Issue
Covid-19 is forcing millions of people out of work. To survive, many older workers in their 50's like me are being asked, and in many cases forced, to take an early retirement. But there’s a looming problem: health insurance. We face expensive choices strewn with Catch-22 gotchas. And after working hard for 30 years like me, many of us early retirees must STILL wait a decade or more before turning 65 to join Medicare. Tough not being a high-level executive.....no golden parachutes for us!
Families USA reports that approximately 5.4 million Americans have lost their health insurance this year due to COVID-related layoffs. Some of these workers were let go with no notice, while others, like me, have been offered an "Early Out" package from our companies. But some of these offers still leave too much uncertainty to warrant serious consideration. Individuals, and perhaps their spouses, must still grapple with the fact that Medicare is not open to retirees until they turn 65. Affordable health insurance choices, while better under the Affordable Care Act, are still out of reach for many older Americans born after 1955.
There are a variety of industries hard-hit economically due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and thousands of companies, if they haven't already done so, are looking at large layoffs to come. Many economists are predicting that it could take years for the economy to rebound to its pre-COVID levels. But the reality is: during this economic downsizing, millions of Americans need economic security NOW. Affordable, accessible health care is crucial for people to have that peace of mind.
Let's stand up for fairness: if we longtime workers are forced out of our jobs before retirement age, we need an early opt-in to Medicare. “Early out, early in!” Waiting until age 65 to join Medicare is potentially life-threatening, and that's doubly true in the midst of this pandemic.
Please tell Congress and the White House: offer early retirees a simple fix. Let us opt into Medicare now. Please sign our petition today!
2,847
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on August 3, 2020