Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, on Friday called for lifting the amount of income subject to Social Security taxation to help boost the program over the long haul, as part of a broader plan that aims to help senior citizens.
Ms. Klobuchar’s proposal also calls for more investment in Alzheimer’s and cancer research, and enacting changes to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and health care.
“I believe we owe it to our seniors to make sure they have the care and support they need as they get older, and as president, I will prioritize tackling Alzheimer’s, strengthening health care and retirement security, and reducing prescription drug costs,” the Minnesota Democrat said.
Democratic primary voters consistently identify health care and prescription drug costs as top issues for them in the 2020 election. Seniors, meanwhile, are reliable voters.
Under Ms. Klobuchar’s plan, the Social Security payroll tax, which is now capped out at $132,900, would also apply to incomes more than $250,000.
Ms. Klobuchar also is pushing for the federal government to negotiate directly on behalf of recipients of Medicare Part D to drive down the cost of prescription drugs and wants to allow people to order cheaper drugs from other countries, including Canada.
She is vowing to oppose efforts to privatize Medicare and wants Medicare to cover the costs of dental, vision and hearing care.
Ms. Klobuchar also is seeking to expand Medicare-covered services for Alzheimer’s and bolster research efforts at the National Institute of Health.
Her plan includes tax credits aimed at offsetting the cost of providing long-term care for an aging relative and calls for paid family leave for all Americans.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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