JAHF's Comments on the Next Administration Featured on Health Leaders Media

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It's an understatement to say that the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a hot topic for conversation in the nation's capital. The ACA boosted Medicare benefits in ways that are popular with the 57 million seniors and disabled Americans who depend on the program. Republicans have said they want to approve repealing the ACA early in 2017, but even if they do, dismantling the system will take a while.

A repeal, or even significant reform of the ACA threatens to leave older Americans with less healthcare and higher costs, according to the AARP, which is organizing its members to lobby for safeguarding Medicare. Unlike some presidential elections, the issue received little attention this year, says Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation,

"We noticed during the election that there was almost no discussion of the concerns of older adults," Fulmer says.

"We have 10,000 people turning 65 every day and the way we care for them will affect our economy. We have to wait and see what happens, but we have no reason to believe that there are plans to focus on improving care for the elderly, because we heard nothing from the Trump administration about that."

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