President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Medicare and Medicaid Act into law on July 30, 1965. Public domain photo<\/p>\n
July marks the 60th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act (OAA).<\/p>\n
Along with Social Security, these programs form the bedrock of health and economic well-being for older Americans. Signed into law in 1965<\/a> by President Lyndon Johnson, they help ensure that every older adult has access to basic health care and income, as well as community services.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, Medicaid faces substantial cuts<\/a> in the GOP\u2019s budget reconciliation bill, which Congress passed 218-214<\/a> on Thursday afternoon. It now awaits Trump\u2019s signature.\u00a0Millions of older people and those who care for them could lose coverage<\/a> under new requirements. Some seniors may no longer be able to afford their Medicare premiums or prescription medication, according to AARP<\/a>, while those in their 50s and 60s may not be able to meet some of the newly imposed work requirements, jeopardizing their health and caregiving responsibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)<\/a>, which helps people with their groceries and supports better nutrition among people with low incomes, is also facing deep cuts \u2014 meaning millions of older people could go hungry, according to the Medicare Rights Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n Older Americans Act<\/strong><\/p>\n One bright spot in all of this is the reintroduction of the Older Americans Act reauthorization for 2025,<\/a> a move that had been set aside for months<\/a> while Congress focused on other priorities.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNot only does the Older Americans Act save lives and ease human suffering, it saves money. We can choose to continue to waste billions of dollars on emergency room visits and unnecessary hospital stays, or we can provide older Americans with the resources and the services they need to live healthier, more secure, and more dignified lives,\u201d Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cIn my view, it is our responsibility not simply to reauthorize this legislation and maintain the status quo. It is our responsibility to expand the Older Americans Act so that every vulnerable senior in America can receive the services that they need.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The legislation<\/a> would support OAA programs through fiscal year 2030, promote innovation and flexibility, strengthen program integrity and better support family caregivers and direct care workers, according to the HELP committee. The bill also takes steps to improve services for Tribal seniors and those with disabilities in their communities. \u00a0<\/p>\n However, dozens of OAA p<\/a>r<\/a>ograms<\/a> are slated for reduction or elimination in HHS\u2019s budget plan<\/a> for fiscal year 2026. Funding for home-delivered meals, transportation services, falls prevention and elder abuse prevention programs, among others, are either frozen at current levels, significantly cut or will disappear.\u00a0<\/p>\n HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has already begun disbanding<\/a> the Administration for Community Living, the agency that administers OAA programs and services. Some existing programs<\/a> will move to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, some to the Administration for Children and Families, and some to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Hundreds of staffers have already lost their jobs, some regional offices have shut down, and the separation of programs will make it more difficult to effectively administer the programs the ACL once oversaw, an April 2025 report<\/a> from The Urban Institute concluded.<\/p>\n \u201cBy\u00a0breaking apart the coordination and delivery of programs<\/a>\u00a0under the Older Americans Act, the administration is jeopardizing the health, independence and dignity of millions of older adults and their caregivers,\u201d writes Nathan\u00a0Boucher in The Hill<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s the opposite intention of the programs LBJ fought to pass in 1965. <\/p>\n