U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) was honored at a special summit in May, held by Jewish Federations of North America. The award was given to Sen. Moran for his help in preventing further Medicare and Medicaid cuts proposed by President Trump in 2017; cuts which would have negatively affected seniors in the Jewish community, as well as Jewish Federation partner agencies Village Shalom and Jewish Family Services.
Calling Sen. Moran “a champion in the cause,” Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City president and CEO Helene Lotman said Sen. Moran listened to constituents in the state, including Village Shalom and Federation executives, who told him that specific Republican-led legislation to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act would hurt Kansas seniors and put undue stress on organizations that serve this population, including Village Shalom.
“Federation and our partner agencies have worked together for decades to ensure the oldest members of our community live with dignity by providing quality health and long-term care services to Jewish-Americans and vulnerable populations,” said Lotman of the announcement at the Federation’s 2019 Health & Long-Term Care Summit in May. “This year for the first time we awarded individuals who have been champions in this cause. They included Sen. Jerry Moran for outstanding leadership in health and long-term care policy solutions.”
In 2018, Sen. Moran visited Village Shalom in Overland Park to talk to some of those who could have been affected by the proposed Medicare cuts. At the time, he also met with Lotman and John Isenberg, Federation’s immediate past board chair, as well as Matt Lewis, president and CEO of Village Shalom, and Karen Glickstein, then-board president of Village Shalom.
Residents and executives told Sen. Moran they worried that the bill would cut funding that ensures that Village Shalom residents receive the medical care they need. That was just one example of how the legislation could have meant more elderly Kansans would be without adequate healthcare.
Brendan Howard is a writer and editor living in Olathe.