To the Editor:

This election season, as an older Mainer, I want to urge fellow Maine voters to consider candidates with clear plans to protect and strengthen Medicare, which provides health care for more than 52 million Americans 65+, half of whom live on incomes below $23,500 per year.

Medicare is a crucial safety net for hardworking Mainers who pay into the program their entire working lives, but this 2020 election could determine whether there are changes to the country’s health care system, including to Medicare. Medicare enrollments in the U.S are expected to grow rapidly in the next decade, so we need to ensure that our elected officials offer plans to ensure that there are no cuts to Medicare and the program is protected for current and future generations.

Particularly in Maine, the oldest state in the country, Medicare supports older Mainers regardless of their incomes or health status. So, many Mainers depend on Medicare coverage, and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting access to health care for older folks like me feels especially critical.

So, please, as you consider candidates prior to the 2020 election, urge them to prioritize guaranteeing Medicare coverage in their platforms for the millions of older Americans like me that rely on the program. Before you decide who to vote for, ask candidates to state their plans for protecting Medicare for those of us who need it now and others in the future.

Ruby Parker
Scarborough