This November, Republicans are running on a plan that would sunset every single federal law, which would mean an end to Social Security benefits that over 400,000 Michiganders with disabilities rely on and Medicare that folks with disabilities use to access affordable, quality health care. For years, Michiganders, including those with disabilities, have paid into these services with the expectation that they would one day be able to receive the benefits of those services. But, if the GOP gets their way and sunsets Medicare and Social Security, people living with disabilities from the U.P. to Detroit will suffer.
Javier Juarez, a resident of Bill Huizenga’s district, spoke recently about the positive impact Medicare benefits have had for him after a workplace injury. For him, and tens of thousands of other Michiganders living with disabilities, he can’t afford a Republican majority that’s willing to sunset a federal program he relies on to survive:
“I am one of the two million Michiganders relying on Medicare coverage,” said Javier Juarez. “During the first month of me moving to Michigan, I was injured in a traumatic accident at work and I’ve been disabled since. Workers comp wasn’t enough so I had to rely on Medicare — these benefits have saved my life, I rely on them, and if it wasn’t for [them] I wouldn’t be alive.”
While Republicans are threatening disabled Michiganders’ access to life-saving care, President Biden and Democrats have proposed measures to bolster Social Security and responsibly reduce the deficit without touching Medicare or Social Security by making billionaires pay their fair share in taxes – while also lowering costs for working families.
