The Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans will work with Legislators and members of the Governor’s Administration to improve the lives of senior citizens in the Commonwealth by addressing issues within the following areas:

Quality, Affordable Health Care

• PARA supports, in principle, legislation that expands health coverage to uninsured Pennsylvanians, such as the recently adopted Mini-Cobra legislation (HB 1089) and the extension of coverage for dependents to age 30 (SB 189); as well as the proposed expansion of Adult Basic (HB 1).  Covering the uninsured lowers the cost of health care for everyone, and contributes to the solvency of Medicare.
• PARA supports legislation designed to control health care costs.  An example is the newly adopted Preventable Serious Adverse Events Act (HB 84), which will remove the burden to the patient of paying for hospital mistakes.  PARA applauds the re-authorization of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) (SB89).
• PARA supports programs that reduce the costs of prescription drugs for low-income seniors such as PACE and PACENET (HB 1676).
• PARA supports legislation to improve the quality of health care delivery and availability in Pennsylvania.  HB 147/SB 742 would set minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.  This legislation could have a far-reaching effect on patient care in hospitals, as well as improve working conditions and lower turnover for our nurses.  In addition, legislation that addresses the accessibility of health care in every urban, suburban and rural location in Pennsylvania may be warranted.

Aging with Dignity and Choice of Housing

• PARA supports legislation that strengthens and improves regulation of Long Term Care facilities or home care services through the Older Adults Protective Services Act.

• PARA supports the creation of a Consumer Workforce Council for consumer-directed home care workers.  The Consumer Workforce Council would improve access to consumer-directed care for patients who want to remain in their homes, save money by directing care away from costly nursing home facilities, and reduce turnover among home care workers by allowing them to collectively bargain for livable wages and benefits.
• PARA supports programs that specifically help seniors reduce their property taxes.  Many seniors on fixed incomes are forced out of their homes by rising property taxes.  PARA also supports shifting the burden for school and local government funding away from the unfair property tax to a more progressive method such as income tax.
• PARA supports efforts to encourage the construction of more affordable housing options specifically designed and reserved for seniors.

Economic Security through Affordable Resources for Daily Living

• PARA supports efforts to mitigate the electricity rate increases that are imminent as rate caps expire.  De-regulation in Pennsylvania will soon be complete, and seniors on fixed incomes need protection from utility monopolies that can raise rates arbitrarily.
• PARA supports regulation to prevent the shut-off of heat-related utilities to delinquent customers during cold winter months.  Seniors are especially at risk of serious injury or death from extreme temperatures.  Furthermore, families that cannot afford oil or gas heat, who then turn to electric space heaters instead, put entire neighborhoods at risk of fire.  PARA supports the “Gas-DISC” legislation that would shift the responsibility of maintaining gas pipelines to residential properties from the owner to the gas company (HB 744).
• PARA supports efforts to protect the state pensions and health care benefits of retired state employees and retired public school teachers, as well as strict monitoring and protection of utility workers’ pensions.  Furthermore, a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for retired state employees is long overdue.  PARA supports a COLA in the near future.
• PARA supports legislation or government efforts to improve Consumer Protection for seniors from predatory lending schemes, identity theft and other financial frauds.
• PARA supports economic assistance for Grandparent Caregivers of children in Pennsylvania.

Retiree-Friendly Budgets

• PARA supports full funding for all programs currently supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.  A funding cut to any of these programs is unacceptable.  In the event of any re-organization of departments that affects the Department of Aging, every one of its current programs must be maintained.
• PARA supports full funding of Medicaid priorities, regardless of whether federal funding is sufficient to cover the costs.  It is unacceptable for any needy Pennsylvania senior who needs medical or long-term care to go without it.  This cost cannot be passed along to County governments whose only recourse would be to raise property taxes and force more seniors from their homes.

Support for Pre-Retirees in the Workplace

• PARA supports HR 262, a resolution calling on Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.  Alliance members value the benefits of union membership, and look forward to all workers having the freedom to form unions if they choose.
• PARA supports HB 300, prohibiting discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
• PARA supports the Prevailing Wage in Pennsylvania, including legislation to increase penalties or to prevent employers from mis-classifying workers.  PARA opposes any legislation to weaken penalties or grant temporary or incidental exemptions to the Prevailing Wage. 
• PARA believes that taxpayer monies spent on public projects or economic development should be spent on American-made products and materials (Pennsylvania-made, when possible), and to pay Pennsylvania residents to complete the jobs.
• PARA opposes any so-called “Right to Work” proposals.

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans has 300,000 members and 126 affiliate organizations.  We are committed to advocating a progressive vision for protecting and improving the quality of life for Pennsylvania seniors.  For more information, visit http://www.pennretiredamericans.org/.