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Massachusetts Hospital Association Agrees to Meet with Medicare Advocates, Demonstration Postponed to Tuesday

NEWS ADVISORY
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Massachusetts Hospital Association Agrees to Meet with Medicare Advocates, Demonstration Postponed to Tuesday

A protest planned at the offices of the Massachusetts Hospital Association today has been postponed after the organization agreed to negotiations especially concerning their position on raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67. 

A group of advocates and seniors from the Massachusetts Nurses Association, Massachusetts Senior Action, Massachusetts Association of Older Americans, Mass Home Care, Latinos for a Secure Retirement and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare will meet with leaders from the Massachusetts Hospital Association today in an attempt to reach an agreement on their proposed cuts to Medicare benefits. 

The demonstration planned for today will instead take place on Tuesday, October 18th, regardless of the outcome of today’s meeting. Advocates hope that Tuesday’s event will be in celebration of the Association’s willingness to reverse their position on Medicare cuts, but are prepared to protest should an agreement not be reached. 

“We appreciate the willingness of the Massachusetts Hospital Association to meet with our coalition to discuss their proposal to raise the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67, and other ways by which costs might be shifted onto seniors,” said Ann Stewart, President of Mass Senior Action and a Medicare recipient from Mattapan. “Today’s negotiations are a direct reflection of the power of our groups standing together to protect Massachusetts’ citizens from reckless cuts to this important program.” 

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Christopher Chase
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