ITHACA, NY (WSKG) - New York Congressman Tom Reed met with a small group seniors in Horseheads on Thursday to discuss Social Security and Medicare.
It was an invitation only event organized by a Chemung County chapter of AARP.
Before Reed arrived, some said Medicare prescription costs are too high and Social Security payments aren’t keeping up with the cost of living.
They wanted assurances from Reed that they will get back everything they have paid into the system. At the same time, they all expressed concern that Social Security won’t be there for their children and grandchildren.
Reed described several proposals he supports. Among them, raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and changing the law to allow Medicare to directly negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Drug companies have successfully lobbied to keep this out of the original Affordable Care Act and the law creating Medicare Part D, which is meant to help beneficiaries pay for prescription drugs.
The conversation shifted to a number of other topics including whether people should stop driving after a certain age and if there should be restrictions on which kinds of foods and drinks people can buy using food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits. Most people there, including Reed, agreed there should be such limitations.