This submit was initially revealed on Defender Community
Carstell Walker Jr. didn’t just like the course the nation was stepping into underneath the second Trump administration, particularly all of the speak about White Home insurance policies that doubtlessly threatened issues crucial to seniors.
Walker might usually be heard saying to anybody who would pay attention, “Trump ain’t getting nare little bit of my Social Safety.”
Seems, Walker was proper. He handed away on March 31 at age 87, together with his Social Safety intact.
However seniors nonetheless within the land of the dwelling are, like Walker, frightened about Social Safety funds they labored their lives to build up to be used throughout their “Golden Years.”
Based on a number of Houston-area seniors, Social Safety stability is only one of their worries in regards to the insurance policies and rhetoric of the present White Home administration.
Well being Care
Home Republicans just lately unveiled the cost-saving generator that’s central to President Donald Trump’s price range: $880 billion or extra in cuts to Medicaid and different packages to assist cowl the price of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires.
The nonpartisan Congressional Price range Workplace mentioned Trump’s strikes on this space would slash 8.6 million folks from well being care protection over the last decade.
A number of Houstonians discover this menace disturbing
“Working folks paid for his or her Medicare and Medicaid. We paid that after we have been working,” mentioned 102-year-old Juanita Williams, an energetic usher at Wesley AME. “Now, why Trump needs to intrude with that, I don’t know. That’s going to harm lots of people as a result of most of your seniors are on Medicaid and Medicare.”
“In no unsure phrases, thousands and thousands of Individuals will lose their well being care protection,” mentioned Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), cosponsor of H.R. 1902 (Social Safety 2100 Act), which would supply an across-the-board profit improve. “Hospitals will shut, seniors won’t be able to entry the care they want and premiums will rise for thousands and thousands of individuals if this invoice passes.”
Medicaid supplies almost free well being care to over 70 million Individuals. Based on Medicaid.gov, in October 2024, 7.2 million Individuals aged 65 and older have been enrolled in Medicaid.
One other Trump transfer, doubtlessly dangerous for Black seniors, was rescinding the Biden/Harris administration’s $35 cap on insulin prices. He additionally rescinded Biden’s order that prolonged the enrollment durations for the Inexpensive Care Act (ACA).
The Congressional Black Caucus additionally listed Trump’s Govt Orders #14155, withdrawing the US from the World Well being Group (WHO), and EO #14162, weakening environmental laws, as potential issues for Black folks, particularly seniors.
Based on the Congressional Black Caucus Basis, “The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO might disproportionately influence Black communities by limiting entry to world well being sources, illness surveillance and public well being initiatives that handle racial well being disparities… The rollback of environmental justice initiatives additional undermines protections towards environmental racism, leaving frontline communities with fewer sources to handle worsening local weather situations.”
Social Safety
Below Trump, potential reforms might embody elevating the total retirement age, altering cost-of-living changes or modifying payroll taxes. Over the previous few years, a number of outstanding Republicans, together with former Speaker Mitch McConnell, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, referred to as Social Safety an “entitlement program” (i.e. suggesting individuals are getting “free” cash they didn’t earn). Many spoke of revamping or ending Social Safety altogether.
“Trump’s insurance policies haven’t immediately affected me right now, however the fixed menace of adjustments to Social Safety and Medicare provides day by day stress,” mentioned retiree Loretta Inexperienced. “As well as, the present investigation into United Healthcare and people huge insurance coverage corporations, regarding Medicare fraud, paints a really unsteady future.”
Inexperienced, nonetheless, could also be immediately impacted each sooner and later. The Social Safety Administration (SSA) just lately minimize some 7,000 jobs to align with an government order from Trump and a proposal from the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) Initiatives, to broadly slash the federal workforce.
DOGE’s actions, notably these impacting the Social Safety Administration (SSA), are predicted to have a big destructive influence on seniors. Adjustments like eliminating telephone verification and shutting places of work make it more durable for seniors to entry their advantages and companies.
Such adjustments disproportionately have an effect on older adults, particularly Black seniors, who might lack dependable web or have mobility points, additional exacerbating current limitations.
Monique Morrissey, an economist on the Financial Coverage Institute, says folks most impacted by DOGE are these with disabilities and low-income seniors, teams that rely extra closely on in-person assist. Fewer SSA employees will make it more durable to come back by.
“Individuals making an attempt to entry retirement advantages may also face delays,” shared Morrissey. “Some folks eligible for incapacity earnings and Supplemental Safety Revenue (SSI) will lose out completely from service delays and disruptions in accessing these advantages.”
“So, what are folks going to dwell off of?” requested Williams. “Numerous the folks, that’s all they must dwell off of is Social Safety. Is [Trump] going to feed them?
“That’s the type of stuff I’m speaking about. That’s why I simply can’t go together with nothing he’s doing as a result of it looks as if he’s working towards all seniors, making an attempt to take all the pieces away from the senior. And the seniors labored for that.”
Extra Monetary Points
Jacqueline Brannon Giles, a famous mathematician and professor at Texas Southern College and Houston Group School, says Social Safety fears aren’t the one issues adversely affecting seniors.
The dismantling of DEI is just not solely impacting college-age and middle-aged Black adults.
“One in all my relations was laid off, and it’s important for me to share [my resources] and have what I name intergenerational assist to assist the subsequent era do effectively as my era did with the assistance of affirmative motion and DEI,” mentioned Brannon-Giles.
Moreover, Trump’s tariff wars, in keeping with the CBC, are impacting prices for Black folks of all ages, with this actuality notably impacting seniors.
“Whereas tariffs might encourage home manufacturing and doubtlessly revive job alternatives in sectors the place Black employees have traditionally been represented, in addition they danger rising prices for Black-owned companies, disrupting provide chains, limiting export potential and elevating shopper costs—disproportionately impacting low-income Black communities and employees in retail, logistics, and transportation” (supply: CBC).
DN: See how Trump insurance policies are impacting voting and information safety for Black seniors.
