Frank Pallone: “I have to say that I find it abhorrent that the Congress would even consider raising age eligibility for Medicare. At a…”

“I have to say that I find it abhorrent that the Congress would even consider raising age eligibility for Medicare. At a time when we are trying to find solutions concerning our uninsured populations, raising the age eligibility to age 67 will only exacerbate the problem. There are 4.5 million people between age 50 and 64 that are among the uninsured, for various reasons, and these numbers are growing every day. Some of these seniors lack access to employer-sponsored health benefits, while others are unable to afford expensive premiums and cost-sharing requirements. Now we are telling them that they have to wait even longer before they become eligible for Medicare. We would be breaking our commitment to America's seniors by raising the age eligibility. It is not needed to balance the budget, nor is it necessary to maintain Medicare short-term solvency.”