Retirees need health care protection

March 23 was the anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This law did nothing to protect the earned retirement health care benefits that an estimated 14.3 million Americans still receive through their former employer.

America’s retirees need the Earned Retiree Healthcare Benefits Protection Act (H.R. 1322), which would prevent employers from canceling the health care benefits that retirees earned over their working years in exchange for taking less in total compensation.

While the Supreme Court has heard arguments over the legality of the health care law, members of Congress should push legislation that would protect retiree health care as an addendum. Medicare cannot solely support older Americans.

Once employer-sponsored retiree coverage is canceled, these retirees will have to turn to Medicare Part D and Medicaid and those systems are already overburdened.

Robert Hiemenz

Spring Grove