By JOHN HOWELL

Senator Jack Reed had some up and down news as he visited the Pilgrim Senior last Wednesday to discuss the needs of senior citizens and ensure people know assistance is available for a variety of needs, including: food, housing, transportation, health care, utility bills and other essentials, plus Social Security and Medicare.

Reed called Social Security the “bedrock” and Medicare the “lifeline” for many.

As for Social Security, he told those gathered in the center’s arts and crafts room, “you’re getting a raise.” He said the 8.7 percent raise would come in January and would average about an additional $146 a month or $1752 a year.

More than 190,000 Rhode Islanders currently receive Social Security benefits.  Rhode Island is home to five SSA field offices and one location for the Office of Hearings Operations (Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, Woonsocket). Reed recently delivered $400 million in federal funding to improve Social Security customer service.

 Reed said the raise would help offset inflation, which he noted is not restricted to this country. He said he recently returned from Poland on what had been planned as a trip to Ukraine. However after an explosion and fire severed the bridge between Crimea and Ukraine, authorities deemed it was too risky for him to visit Ukraine.

“Inflation is 11 to 12 percent in Poland,” Reed said citing rising food and energy costs. “It’s a worldwide issue,” he said of inflation.

But in the face of inflation, Reed had more good news for seniors.

“Medicare premiums are going down,” he said “Benefits up, Medicare down.”

Reed explained that Inflation Reduction Act now enables Medicare to negotiate with the drug companies as well as setting prices that will make for more affordable prescription drugs.

Yet Reed cautioned Republicans “will try to take it back.” He said leading Congressional Republicans have offered plans that would jeopardize Social Security and Medicare, including a “sunset provision” requiring Congress to reauthorize Social Security and Medicare every five years.  He said House Republicans have also proposed privatizing Social Security and raising the retirement age to 70.

 “My view of these (Social Security and Medicare) is that they earned benefits,” he said.

Maureen Maigret, policy advisor of the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island , said with the increases in food, housing and energy costs the increase in Social Security payments is “critical.” She said that 28 percent of the state’s older population makes less than $25,000 a year.