This election season, as an older Mainer, I want to urge fellow Maine voters to consider candidates with clear plans to protect and strengthen Medicare, which provides health care for over 52 million Americans 65-plus.

Medicare is a crucial safety net for hardworking Mainers who pay into the program their entire working lives. Enrollments are expected to grow rapidly in the next decade, so we need our elected officials to offer plans ensuring that there are no cuts to Medicare and the program remains secure.

Particularly in Maine, the country’s oldest state, Medicare supports older Mainers regardless of income or health status. In light of COVID-19, protecting health care access for older folks like me feels especially critical.

So, please, before you decide who to vote for, ask candidates to state their plans for protecting Medicare for those of us who need it now and others in the future.

Ruby Parker
Scarborough