PENNSYLVANIA — Today, Pennsylvania seniors, State Senator Maria Collett, and advocates joined a virtual press call hosted by Affordable Pennsylvania, Social Security Works, and the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans to share what it really costs to get by in retirement and call attention to the growing affordability crisis facing older Pennsylvanians.

With the cost of groceries, prescriptions, housing, utilities, and health care rising an additional $4,200 since 2025, seniors living on fixed or limited incomes are being forced to make impossible choices between basic necessities. Participants shared firsthand stories of the challenges they face and warned that federal policies supported by Pennsylvania Republicans in Congress are making it harder for families to keep up.

During the call, speakers highlighted that Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, and Scott Perry all voted for the Republican Tax Law, which included historic cuts to the social safety net while providing tax breaks to wealthy Americans and corporations. The three members have also voted six times over the last year in support of cost-raising tariffs, opposed renewing enhanced health care tax credits, and supported continued military action in Iran.

The press call featured Pennsylvania seniors sharing firsthand stories about the rising cost of living and issues specific to older Pennsylvanians.  Read their full stories here.

“Far too many older adults are feeling the strain of rising costs at the grocery store, the gas pump and their doctors’ offices. The 2025 Republican Tax Law portrays healthcare and food assistance for millions of low-income and aging Americans as ‘wasteful spending’, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said PA State Sen. Maria Collett. “Older Pennsylvanians deserve care, not cuts, and they can count on me to continue standing up and speaking out for healthcare access and their ability to afford day to day expenses.”

“The struggle to keep up with today is not just financial. It is an emotional roller coaster when you do not have enough money going from month to month. It wears on your soul as well as your body,” said Art, resident of Bethlehem. “I want Ryan Mackenzie to put himself in my shoes, as well as the shoes of many other people in Pennsylvania. Look at how much harder it is to live with each passing day and strive to make tomorrow just a little bit easier than today for your senior constituents.”

By the time I pay my bills, there's rarely anything left until my next Social Security payment rolls in. Social Security is what enables me to live independently. Without it, I truly don't know how I would manage,” said Kathy from Scranton. "I urge Congressman Rob Bresnahan to recognize that the decisions made in Washington are not just numbers on a page. They have a real impact on our lives. They determine whether we can afford a doctor's appointment, fill a prescription, or remain in our own homes."

“I just want to be comfortable. I’m not looking to live extravagantly. I’d like to eat reasonably, have some downtime enjoying life with friends and family, maybe take a short vacation every year, and not have to worry about how I’m going to pay the next bill,” said Rick Boyko, from Slatington, PA in PA-07. “But with the cost of everything going up, that has become harder. I live on Social Security and a small inheritance, and I’m now dealing with new medical expenses after a leukemia diagnosis while helping support my family. Congressman Ryan Mackenzie voted for the Republican tax law that made it harder for people like me to get by.”

Watch the full press call here.

“Social Security and Medicare are the two most successful domestic programs in the entire history of the United States of America. And we need to keep them that way. In fact, we actually need to expand them,” said Jonathan Bauman of Social Security Works. “At a time when seniors are already struggling with the rising cost of food, housing and health care, the last thing they need is for their elected leaders to make it harder to afford the basics. Reps. Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Perry’s votes cutting health care and food assistance while asking older Americans to do more with less is exactly the wrong direction.”

“Let’s remember, Social Security is not an entitlement. It is an earned benefit and we will continue fighting for seniors every single day,” said Mike Crossey, Board President of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans. “Republicans in Congress have wreaked havoc on vital programs that older Americans broadly support, making it harder to access Social Security benefits by cutting Social Security workers and closing field offices, slashing Medicaid, and driving prescription drug prices higher. The largest cuts in history to Medicaid are part of the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ passed by Republicans last year, putting 15 nursing homes and 12 rural hospitals in Pennsylvania at immediate risk of closure. Seniors have worked and paid into these systems their entire lives, and they deserve to be able to count on the benefits and health care they have earned—not see them cut when they need them most.”

“Pennsylvania seniors have spent decades working, raising families, serving their communities, and contributing to our state. They should not have to spend their retirement wondering whether they can afford the basics,” said Rachele Fortier, Executive Director of Affordable Pennsylvania. “The people who have lived through these rising costs are telling us exactly what affordability looks like: choosing between prescriptions and groceries, worrying about utility bills, and watching their limited income disappear before the month is over. Our elected leaders need to listen to them and take action to make life more affordable.”

About Affordable PA

Affordable Pennsylvania is fighting to expose elected leaders who promised to stand with working families and lower costs, only to take vote after vote neglecting the needs of their constituents. We do this by making Pennsylvanians’ voices heard and pushing members of Congress to take meaningful action to address the skyrocketing cost of things like groceries, child care, and prescription drugs.

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