As Trump continues to ignore the COVID-19 crisis, elderly Wisconsinites have been put in even greater danger.

WISCONSIN -- Today, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Philip Shulman released the following statement on Donald Trump’s endangerment of senior Wisconsinites:

“As Trump continues to ignore the COVID-19 crisis and infections spike across the Badger State and the country, elderly Wisconsinites have been put in even greater danger. Trump’s actions have threatened seniors since long before the Coronavirus came to the United States; Trump has attacked Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and has repeatedly tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act with no replacement plan. This has made it far more difficult for seniors to get crucial resources they rely on such as home care, medicine, and money to pay for groceries and rent.

“Older Americans deserve to live their lives with dignity and respect, instead of living with the threats of Trump’s heartless policy goals. He doesn’t care about the well-being of older Wisconsinites and they see just how dangerous another four years of his presidency would be for them. That’s why their support continues to grow for Vice President Biden who has a plan to address the crisis Donald Trump helped create by ensuring seniors receive the care they need without having to fight for their livelihoods.”

Additional Background:

• 28% of Wisconsinites on Medicaid are elderly or disabled.
• As of 2018, over 1,100,000 Wisconsinites receive Medicare.
• Medicaid Covers Nearly Two-Thirds Of The Nation’s Nursing Home Residents. “Though Medicare generally covers older people, Medicaid funds long-term services, including nursing home stays. Nearly two-thirds of America’s 1.4 million nursing home residents rely on Medicaid to cover their care.” [Washington Post, 6/27/17]
• Policy Experts Said Trump’s Efforts To Repeal The ACA “Would Weaken Resident Protections, Strip Many Nursing-Home Workers Of Health Coverage, Limit Long-Term-Care Options For Many Seniors, And Undermine Efforts To Improve Nursing-Home Quality At A Critical Moment.” “While toppling the law wouldn’t necessarily erase all the reporting requirements, it would weaken resident protections, strip many nursing-home workers of health coverage, limit long-term-care options for many seniors, and undermine efforts to improve nursing-home quality at a critical moment, policy experts say. Janet Wells, a long-term-care public policy consultant in Washington, D.C., says the ACA ‘addressed some of the obvious weaknesses in implementation and enforcement’ of previous nursing-home reform law.” [MarketWatch, 7/2/20]