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Palmer Stands for Healthcare Choice for Seniors

April 12, 2019

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Elizabeth Hance (202) 225-4921

Palmer Stands for Healthcare Choice for Seniors

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) recently reintroduced the Retirement Freedom Act (H.R. 2108), which would allow senior citizens to opt out of Medicare without losing their Social Security benefits. Companion legislation was introduced by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT).

"This bill would empower seniors by giving them more control over their healthcare decisions. People should not be forced to give up their private insurance because their Social Security is being held hostage," Palmer said.

Upon Senate introduction, Senator Cruz said, "Our Retirement Freedom Act gives seniors the ability to act in their own best interest without bureaucrats threatening to take away their Social Security."

If passed, H.R. 2108 would decouple Social Security and Medicare, allowing seniors to keep their private insurance without losing Social Security benefits. Currently, seniors must forfeit Social Security if they do not enroll in Medicare Part A. This link between the two programs acts as a mechanism to force Medicare enrollment, which is an overreach by the Social Security Administration and a serious restriction on seniors' freedom of choice in their healthcare. H.R. 2108 seeks to give that freedom back and to be one step towards fixing the entitlement system.

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