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U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined nine of her Senate colleagues to introduce the Medicare at 50 Act, legislation to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 50 and allow Americans ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare. As Americans list the cost of healthcare as a top concern, the bill would expand access to affordable healthcare and give more than 58 million Americans more coverage options.
"Under President Trump, Americans nearing retirement are being forced to choose between paying for lifesaving care and simply being able to afford a life," said Gillibrand. "The Medicare at 50 Act would provide the security and support of Medicare years earlier to millions of aging Americans, lowering their healthcare costs and helping them save for retirement. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I am proud to support this important legislation, and I will continue fighting to expand access to quality and affordable care for older Americans."
More than 60 million Americans are between the ages of 50 and 64, a population that faces significant challenges accessing affordable, comprehensive health insurance. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded access to coverage, millions of older Americans continue to face high premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and limited coverage options. Today, 11.5% of Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 remain uninsured.
Trump and Republicans, Gillibrand said, have made matters worse with sweeping healthcare cuts in their Big Ugly Bill and their refusal to extend the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits, driving up costs for older Americans who purchase insurance through the ACA Marketplace.
The Medicare at 50 Act would help close this gap and give Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 the option to buy into Medicare before reaching the traditional eligibility age of 65. Individuals who choose to enroll would receive the same benefits and protections available under Medicare Parts A, B, and D, including the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. The legislation would also allow eligible individuals to receive the same premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies they would qualify for through the ACA Marketplace, helping make coverage more affordable.
Gillibrand has long fought to lower healthcare costs for older Americans and to protect Medicare access. This year, she introduced the Medicare Cost Cap Act to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors with Medicare, and she demanded an end to the Trump administration's WISeR program that allows for AI-driven Medicare denials. Last year, she pressed Republicans to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits that helped millions of Americans afford coverage.
In addition to Senator Gillibrand, the bill is co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).