Interests of a 65-Year-Old

A 65-year-old leads with documented concerns about Social Security solvency, Medicare and prescription drug costs, long-term care costs (the single biggest financial risk this demographic faces), cost of living on a fixed income, and the spousal gap for a partner not yet Medicare-eligible. Cornyn earns more 65-year-old credit than Paxton does on rural-hospital protection (his rural emergency hospital designation legislation directly helps this demographic in rural Texas) and on Medicare Advantage expansion. But his ACA repeal votes (which would have removed the bridge-years framework for the not-yet-Medicare spouse), opposition to Medicare buy-in or public option, opposition to enhanced premium tax credit extension, and Medicaid block-grant framework cut against this cohort's core concerns. Talarico's platform reads like a list written for this demographic: protecting Social Security, expanded Older Americans Act funding, PBM and prior-authorization regulation, banning medical debt on credit reports, restoring ACA enhanced tax credits, and a Medicare buy-in that helps a younger spouse — plus the Texas record on $25 insulin caps and the 'thirteenth check' supplemental retirement payment for retired teachers.