Organizing seniors to protect the health safety net: the way forward

ABSTRACT

Over the past century, the organized voice of seniors has been critical in building the U.S. health safety net. Since the 2016 election, that safety net, particularly the Medicaid program, is in jeopardy. As we have seen with the rise of the Tea Party, senior support for health care programs—even programs that they use in large numbers—cannot and should not be taken for granted. This article provides a brief history of senior advocacy and an overview of the current senior organizing landscape. It also identifies opportunities for building the transformational organizing of low-income seniors needed to defend against sustained attacks on critical programs. Several suggestions are made, drawn from years of work in philanthropy, advocacy, and campaigns, for strengthening the ability to organize seniors—particularly low-income seniors—into an effective political force advocating for Medicaid and other safety net programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Senior organizing
• low-income seniors
• social safety net programs
• aging policy
• progressive senior movements

Acknowledgments

The authors offer their deepest appreciation to Ann Hwang, MD, director, Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation, and Renée Markus Hodin, deputy director, Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation, for their strategic guidance, excellent research and writing, and leadership.