FOLLOWING 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF MEDICAID, MEDICARE AND AMID UNPRECEDENTED HARM TO HUDSON VALLEY SENIORS, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN CONTINUES C.A.R.E.S. VAN SENIOR TOUR

Following 60th Anniversary of Medicaid, Medicare and Amid Unprecedented Harm to Hudson Valley Seniors, Congressman Pat Ryan Continues C.A.R.E.S. Van Senior Tour

Following Medicaid and Medicare’s 60th anniversary and in light of recent sweeping cuts to essential senior programs – including Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP –  Ryan’s C.A.R.E.S. Van senior tour provides direct, specialized support to seniors in every corner of the Hudson Valley

During the first district tour, the Van reached over 1,500 constituents and logged 3,341 miles, helping Ryan’s team to secure over $40 million in casework assistance for NY-18 constituents

NEW PALTZ, NY  –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan and his Constituent Advocacy Resources Empowerment Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Van continued its “Senior Tour,” following the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare last week. Today, the mobile office was in Newburgh at Hudson Pointe Senior Apartments and at the New Paltz Village Hall, bringing Hudson Valley seniors the direct, one-on-one support they deserve right in their own backyard. Most recently, Ryan joined his team for Dutchess County’s weekly Senior Picnic in Beacon. 

“Over the last several months, we’ve been under threat by the Trump Administration – particularly our senior community. But every step of the way, the Hudson Valley has been fighting back,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “When they tried to shut down the Poughkeepsie Social Security Office – shuttering benefit access for our seniors – our entire community rallied in force to restore services. And we won. Now, as we continue to celebrate 60 years of Medicaid and Medicare and especially as the Trump Administration prepares to cut health care from 17 million Americans it’s more important than ever that we bring high-quality services to every senior in every corner of our community. I’m looking forward to connecting with seniors across NY-18, and hearing the issues that matter to each and every one of you. Rest assured, I will always fight for our seniors and against anyone who would do them harm.” 

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. Especially in light of unprecedented cuts to programs Hudson Valley seniors rely on – in particular Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP – the C.A.R.E.S. Van Senior Tour focuses specifically on aiding seniors as they navigate benefits, health care, and any potential impacts of recent federal cuts. Most recently, Ryan joined his team for Dutchess County’s weekly Senior Picnic in Beacon. 

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” threatens the health insurance of nearly one in three people in the Hudson Valley – including 75,000 kids. It will cause massive premium increases for folks on ACA health care, closes hospitals, kills American jobs, and – despite cutting over a trillion dollars from essential programs Hudson Valley families rely on – still adds a whopping $4 trillion to the national debt to pay for Trump’s unprecedented tax breaks for billionaires. 

Congressman Ryan has repeatedly stood up to reductions in care for Hudson Valley seniors, vehemently fighting the closure of the Kingston Social Security Office and leading the successful charge to save the Poughkeepsie Social Security Office. Following the Kingston closure, and the closure of the Newburgh SSA office, Congressman Ryan introduced the Protecting Social Security Act which, along with safeguarding seniors’ earned benefits, would ensure every county in NY-18 has its own Social Security Office.

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. 

In March of 2024, 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 over $40 million in casework assistance for NY-18 constituents.

The C.A.R.E.S. Van has also been mobilized for specialized events, resource fairs, community events, and to deliver emergency response resources including, but not limited to:

• Bringing direct assistance from the Social Security Administration back to Ulster County following closure of the county’s only Social Security Administration office.
• Partnering with dozens of community organizations, the Social Security Administration, the Center for Medicare, local governments from across the Hudson Valley for Senior Resource Fairs.
• Partnering with Veterans Service Organizations, local governments, and the Hudson Valley military community to deliver Veterans and Military Families Resource Fairs and for Congressman Ryan’s Veterans Week of Action that made stops in every county in NY-18.
• Mobilizing a coalition of community partners, emergency response organizations, and local governments to bring direct relief to communities impacted by the catastrophic flooding events of July 2023.
• Partnering with the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds to connect constituents with money owed to them by the State.
• Delivering direct assistance with federal agencies to community events including the Dutchess County Senior Picnics, National Night Out in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, community Trunk-or-Treat Halloween celebrations, community farmers’ markets, Kingston’s Mexican and Central American Independence Celebration, Warwick’s Mental Health Awareness Celebration, the Orange County Veterans’ Picnic, and more!

The full schedule of C.A.R.E.S. Van events for August can be found here. 

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