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Congress of t()c QUiutcb States ioousr of IxryrrsriUfltilirs ^aSljtngton, S£ 20515 November 16,2016 Dear
Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts on preserving Social Security and Medicare. Since the first day I entered office representing the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania in both the State Senate and now in Congress, I made it clear that one of my top priorities would be to protect and preserve both Medicare and Social Security. That is why I will soon be reintroducing the Social Security and Medicare Protection Act to stop Congress from raiding the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds to spend on other government programs. You spent a lifetime working and paying into these programs. It is unconscionable for Congress to take your hard earned dollars and spend them on other programs or pet projects. These funds should go nowhere else but into Social Security and Medicare. The key to protecting the long-term solvency of Social Security is to put the trust funds off limits from Congress so that those coming out of your paycheck only go towards paying earned benefits. Along those lines, we need to find a better way to calculate the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). As food, energy, clothing, and housing costs continue to climb higher and higher for older Americans, the cost of living adjustments for seniors sometimes even remains at zero. Add in the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs and healthcare costs for seniors and it is easy to see just how flawed the current COLA calculation is. Until we get this problem fixed for seniors, Members of Congress should get no salary adjustments. I've voted to block any congressional pay increase at the same time seniors are denied a similar cost of living adjustment. For years, I have also advocated for reforms to Medicare that will not only save money, but more importantly improve the delivery and quality of care. As currently structured, Medicare is complicated and riddled with lengthy delays that often leave beneficiaries footing the bill. The program discourages specialists, primary care physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare providers from working together - or coordinating - on patient's care and also using the most up to date treatments and procedures. Enacting quality of care reforms to the Medicare system will not only save taxpayers' money, but more importantly, improve the delivery and quality of care. That's why I have continuously supported reforming the outdated system with disease management models that keep seniors healthy and out of the hospital. Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns with me. If you are interested in receiving my weekly email newsletter describing important votes and key committee activity, I invite you to visit my website at Murohv.House.Gov and sign up.
Sincerely,
Tim Murphy Member of Congress Please Note: If you wish to respond to this email, please visit my website and you will be directed how to reply
murphy-pa.pdf
If you are interested in receiving my weekly email newsletter describing. important votes and key committee activity, I invite you to visit my website at Murohv.
