Missouri Congressman's comments on Medicare, Social Security cuts raise concerns

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One local nonprofit says it's alarmed following comments from a Missouri congressman suggesting cuts to Medicare and social security.

During a Fox Business interview on Monday Congressman Mark Alford (R-4) also suggested pushing back the retirement age.

“And so we've got to right the ship and it's going to mean cuts, and it's also going to mean looking long-term at the front end of some programs like Social Security and Medicare. Not taking anyone off of what they paid into so far. But there is some waste, abuse and fraud in Medicare that we can take those numbers back,” Alford said.

The congressman also made a comment, suggesting that the U.S. pushes back the retirement age.

“And on the front end on Social Security, I think there's a way, when people are living longer, they're retiring later, then on the front end we can move that retirement age back a little bit” Alford said.

FOX4 initially hoped to talk to Alford earlier Tuesday at 4:45 p.m., so we could better understand what he was saying. But when we got closer to that time, FOX4 was told he was no longer available. We reached out again multiple times via text and phone calls and asked for a statement.

At this time, we have not received any response.

Janet Baker is the executive director of KC Shepherd's Center, the organization that exclusively serves seniors in Kansas City, and she was less than pleased with the comments.

"It is alarming to me and here's why. Yes, people are living longer but the reality is ageism is real and it's already difficult for anyone over the age of 50 to find a job. Now you're going to ask them to continue to work into their 60's, late 60's and early 70's," Baker said.

She says she agrees with the congressman in terms of stopping waste, abuse, and fraud regarding the benefits. But Baker says going after these entities without provable evidence will hurt places like Kansas City, where issues like hunger for seniors are twice the national average.

"You're squeezing the bubble by taking it out of the hides on vulnerable, low-income seniors and putting it on the backs of small organizations like KC Shepherd's Center. Seniors are the most horrifically, grossly underfunded population that there is,” she said.

Baker also said any suggestion of cutting an already underfunded population, is morally wrong.

If you would like to help the KC Shepherd's Center a link to their site is here.