CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DELIVERS DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS WITH SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE C.A.R.E.S. VAN TOUR
Congressman Pat Ryan Delivers Direct Assistance to Seniors with Social Security and Medicare C.A.R.E.S Van Tour
Constituent Advocacy Resources Empowerment Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Van routinely brings assistance with federal agencies to communities across NY-18; has previously been used for Rep. Ryan’s all-in-one Senior Resource Fair and to bring assistance from the Social Security Administration back to Ulster County
Ryan has prioritized protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare and has fought to make benefits easier to access for seniors
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan continued his fight to protect and increase access to Social Security and Medicare by announcing the launch of a series of events to deliver direct assistance with Social Security, Medicare, and more to seniors with his mobile office, the Constituent Advocacy Resources Empowerment Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Van. The event series will take place across the months of August and September and will partner with the Social Security Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and more to deliver one-on-one guidance to Hudson Valley seniors across all three counties in NY-18.
“As the far-right ramps up its attacks on Social Security and Medicare, I’m fighting back to protect these earned benefits on behalf of every Hudson Valley senior,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “This C.A.R.E.S. Van series will deliver direct, one-on-one assistance with Social Security, Medicare, and more to seniors right where they’re at. If you have questions for the Social Security Administration or Medicare, could use direct assistance from my team of caseworkers, or just want to join the community of seniors from across the Hudson Valley for an afternoon, invite some friends and come join one of the events! Our seniors are the bedrock of our Hudson Valley community, and I’ll always have their backs.”
“I had spent 30 months trying to get my social security benefits and had gotten nowhere,” said Thomas, a constituent in Port Jervis. “ After contacting Congressman Ryan's office I was put in touch with Destiny H. who interceded on my behalf and got me results. I cannot thank her enough and am totally sincere when I say that her help changed my life.”
“Representative Pat Ryan stands by his commitments to his constituents, tackling government and Social Security bureaucracy and ensuring that senior citizens in his district are not just a number to be ignored,” said Barbara, a constituent in Middletown. “After 14 months of frustration with the Social Security Administration for benefits owed to me, Representative Ryan’s office was able to support me and resolve my challenge with Social Security in less than a week.”
"My elderly brother was admitted to the hospital in need of acute care for 3 weeks and then transferred to a rehab center for a month-long stay to regain his motor skills,” said John, a constituent in Poughkeepsie. “He had no insurance and only a pending application for Social Security and Medicare. We contacted Congressman Ryan's Office and they were able to have my brother's application for benefits quickly approved. Without their assistance, particularly Maria, Director of Constituent Services, I'm not sure how our family crisis would have been resolved. Thanks to all of you! What a difference you have made."
Congressman Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van is staffed by his team of highly-trained caseworkers who bring direct assistance with federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), IRS, and more to Hudson Valley families right in their neighborhoods. Ryan has previously utilized his C.A.R.E.S. Van to bring direct assistance to Hudson Valley seniors, notably at his May Senior Resource Fair that connected over 150 attendees with over 35 Hudson Valley organizations and services and to bring the Social Security Administration back to Ulster County.
Congressman Ryan has prioritized protecting Social Security and Medicare in Congress, repeatedly voting against House Republicans’ attempts to cut the benefits, including by blocking Republicans’ proposed 20% cut to Social Security in his first year in Congress. This spring, former President Donald Trump said that there is “a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.”
Earlier this year, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), consisting of 80% of House Republicans proposed a budget that would cut over $1.5 trillion from Social Security and increase the retirement age to 69. The RSC’s budget includes cuts to Medicare, raising premiums, and encourages privatization. The Republican Study Committee plan also proposes stripping away major cost-saving measures for Medicare patients that President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act implemented, including the $35/month cap on insulin prices, and the soon-to-be rolled out ability for Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs and a $2,000/year out-of-pocket cap.
When now-Speaker Mike Johnson led the Republican Study Committee in 2020, it proposed cutting Medicare by $1.9 trillion and Social Security by $756 billion over the course of 10 years and would include provisions to privatize Medicare. Republican Senator Rick Scott has proposed a plan to sunset Social Security and Medicare, threatening the very existence of both programs.
Ryan recently introduced the Improving Access to Emergency Medical Services for Seniors Act so that seniors on Medicare can be treated on-site and at home by emergency first responders and cosponsors the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, the Social Security Fairness Act, and the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act among other legislation to expand access to Social Security and Medicare.
Congressman Ryan has also prioritized making benefits and assistance accessible for Hudson Valley seniors, hosting multiple resource fair events for seniors. His C.A.R.E.S. Van routinely visits senior centers and Dutchess County Senior Picnics to bring assistance directly to seniors where they’re at.
Congressman Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van assists constituents of NY-18 in accessing earned benefits, such as Veterans’ Affairs benefits and Social Security, federal grant funding, passports and visas, immigration and naturalization services, and resolving issues with federal agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service.
Earlier this summer, Congressman Ryan announced a summer series of C.A.R.E.S. Van events specifically for veterans. The event series will deliver help with veterans services and federal agencies like assistance accessing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, requesting military medical records, obtaining lost military awards, and more directly to veterans at veterans service organizations (VSOs) throughout the Hudson Valley.
In March, the C.A.R.E.S. Van completed its first district tour, visiting every one of the 82 cities, towns, and villages in NY-18 in under 10 months. During the first district tour, the Van reached over 1,500 constituents and logged 3,341 miles to bring assistance directly to Hudson Valley families where they are at. The Van has been critical in assisting Ryan’s team in securing nearly $24 million in casework assistance for NY-18 constituents.
In November, the C.A.R.E.S. Van was utilized to bring assistance from the Social Security Administration back to Ulster County for a one-day senior resource fair organized by Congressman Ryan’s Office. The Van also made multiple stops at veterans service organizations in every county of NY-18 during Congressman Ryan’s Veterans Week of Action, for events that delivered specialized assistance directly to Hudson Valley veterans and honored their service.
Congressman Ryan mobilized the C.A.R.E.S. Van to assemble a coalition of community partners to deliver flood recovery resources during on-site events in communities impacted by last July’s devastating flooding.
The C.A.R.E.S. Van has also been used by Congressman Ryan to partner with other offices and organizations, such as the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, for specialty events.
The schedule for the C.A.R.E.S. Van events for the Social Security and Medicare Series is as follows, updates will be provided via email and social media:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9:
11:00AM - 2:00PM
Newburgh Armory Unity Center
321 S. William Street
Newburgh, NY 12550
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16:
11:00AM - 2:00PM
Esopus Community Center
1 Town Hall Way
Ulster Park, NY 12487
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5:
11:00AM - 2:00PM
Red Hook Fire Company
42 Firehouse Lane
Red Hook, NY 12571
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