CalRTA Merced/Mariposa Division 34

10/28/2025

Today we’re reaching out to members of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, urging them to call for the House to return to Washington, D.C. It’s time for Congress to resume its work, keep the government open, and protect the stability of our economy and our communities.

Your voice makes a difference!
We’ve made it easy to get involved. Each Representative’s name, phone number, and staff contact are listed, along with a pre-loaded email link. Just click the link, add your name, and hit send. If you encounter any issues, you can copy and paste the message below directly into your email.

Prefer to call? Voicemail messages are just as effective.

Every message counts, and quantity matters! Please take a few minutes to act today.

Thank you for your ongoing advocacy and commitment to protecting retirees and our communities!

10/21/2025

Please do your part to protect affordable health coverage for millions of Californians. Congress is debating proposals that could end key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—and the consequences for older adults and working families in California would be devastating.

Send a message today urging your U.S. Senators to defend the ACA and preserve health coverage protections.

Please use the message below to contact California's Senators. You will need to copy and paste the message into the "contact" form on each Senator's website.

Please SHARE this message with friends and family using the "Forward this Email" link below.

For California Residents -
Senator Alex Padilla - Email = padilla.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
Senator Adam Schiff - Email = schiff.senate.gov

For Non-California Residents - Use this link to find contact information for other Senators (NOTE you would need to update the message below): https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
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SUGGESTED MESSAGE

URGENT ALERT: Protect Affordable Health Coverage for Californians

Dear Senator ______________ (Insert Senator's last name)

I urge you to oppose any effort to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act. Analysts estimate that ending ACA subsidies or coverage protections could cause serious harm to California residents:

An estimated 1.7 million Californians — mostly insured in the exchange market (Covered California) — are at risk of sharp premium increases if ACA subsidies end. Of those, about 475,00 Californians over age 55 currently rely on Covered California plans. Many people could drop or lose coverage altogether because of rising costs.

In the long term, more than 1 million Californians could become uninsured again if major ACA protections are withdrawn. The ACA has been critical in keeping health insurance affordable and accessible, particularly for retirees not yet eligible for Medicare and for caregivers supporting older family members. Repealing or defunding it would reverse years of progress and place severe economic strain on households across California.

Please stand firm in protecting the Affordable Care Act and the millions of Californians who depend on it.

Sincerely,

Member, California Retired Teachers Association

All questions and comments regarding public policy issues, legislation, or requests for personal assistance should be directed to the senators from your state. Please be aware that as a matter of professional courtesy, many senators will acknowledge, but not respond to, a message from another senato...

10/21/2025

Live Better Workshop

Merced/Mariposa retired teachers learned about health care programs with HICAP, and personal protection with Damsel Defense. The informational meeting was held at the Italo-American lodge hall in Merced. Division 34 helps members live better as well as protecting our pensions.

10/18/2025

The Future Is Now
Jennifer Baker, CalRTA Legislative Advocate

Two complex issues that seniors will be facing in a more dramatic fashion are affordable housing and the impact of Medicaid cuts on senior health care. These each impact senior’s retirement security in vastly different but potentially harsh ways.

While the affordable housing crisis is often presented as an issue facing working families, its impact on seniors is dramatic. Close to 35 percent of older renters in California spend more than half their income on housing. This is difficult for seniors on a fixed income who have little wiggle-room in their monthly budget. Senior homelessness has been rising, with adults 50+ now nearly representing half of the state’s homeless population.

Housing instability has been proven to worsen the health, isolation, and safety risks for seniors. Addressing affordable housing has been elusive for working families. For seniors, affordable senior housing is scarce, with 3–4-year waitlists and thousands of units at risk of loss. Seniors often must keep working into their 60s, 70s, or even 80s, or choose between rent, food, and medicine as housing encroaches on their financial security. As California searches for answers to addressing this expanding crisis, it will be important to consider expanding affordable housing, providing rental help and legal protections, and preserving existing senior housing.

The recent Medicaid cuts are likely to dramatically impact California’s health industry. As a result of the loss of thousands of Medicaid patients, hospital closures could result, hitting rural and community hospitals hardest, especially in the Central Valley and Northern CA. These cuts could reduce clinics, specialists, and nursing home capacity, leaving seniors with fewer care options. Medi-Cal funds over half of all nursing home beds—losses due to Medicaid cuts could mean fewer admissions and lower staffing for Medicaid patients. Additional ripple effects include longer wait times, job losses, and more emergency room crowding. California seniors in both rural and urban areas may face greater travel for care, fewer in-home supports, and loss of long-term care services.

10/17/2025

Next Armchair Chat is October 28th
Featuring Legislative Advocate Jennifer Baker

Join us Tuesday, October 28th at 1:00 p.m. for an engaging virtual conversation with Jennifer Baker, our Legislative Advocate.

Jennifer will share updates on key bills, the state budget, ballot initiatives, and the latest in California politics, offering an insider’s perspective you won’t want to miss!

If you’ve never had the chance to hear Jennifer speak in person, this is the perfect opportunity to see why her insights are so highly valued.

👉 Register here:

Guest speaker: Jennifer Baker

10/17/2025

Special VICTORY to highlight during this year’s Retired Teachers Week (RTW) November 2-8!

This is the 27th year CalRTA has celebrated Retired Teachers Week (RTW). This year’s focus is our VICTORY in the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) as well as the positive economic impact public pensions make both statewide and nationally.

The State Facebook and Instagram pages will post DAILY during RTW, and we encourage you to “like, comment, and share” (the secret sauce!) to help our posts reach more people.

Next Monday, you'll also receive an email to share with your friends promoting RTW, CalRTA and the important advocacy work we do. Each one reach one! Please keep an eye out for Monday's email and use the "forward to a friend" button.

10/14/2025

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** Please Do Your Part **
Contact Your Senators TODAY as the Government Shutdown Continues
Suggested Message Below
Please do your part during this government shutdown. Together, we must ensure that older Americans are not left behind.

Please use the message below to contact California's Senators. You will need to copy and paste the message into the "contact" form on each Senator's website.

Please SHARE this message with friends and family using the "Forward this Email" link below.

For California Residents -
Senator Alex Padilla - Email = padilla.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
Senator Adam Schiff - Email = schiff.senate.gov

For Non-California Residents - Use this link to find contact information for other Senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Forward this Email to a Friend

SUGGESTED MESSAGE

URGENT ALERT: Protect Retiree Programs During the Government Shutdown

Dear ______________ (Insert Senator's last name)

The Senate remains divided and has no clear bipartisan plan to protect critical health and support programs.

While payments for Social Security and Medicare/Medi-Cal will continue, many programs that retirees and vulnerable seniors rely on face harmful interruptions:
Older Americans Act (OAA): Needs reauthorization; supports meals, transportation, caregiver help.
SNAP (CalFresh in California): Benefits continue short term but could be disrupted if the shutdown lasts beyond 30 days.
Housing Assistance (HUD, FHA, USDA): New loans, rental aid, and applications may be delayed or frozen.
Meals on Wheels & Senior Nutrition Programs: May lose federal support, risking interruptions in critical food services.
Medicaid Reimbursements: Payments to states and providers could face serious delays, straining care delivery.
Retirees on Medicaid and those relying on OAA-funded services cannot afford to lose these lifelines. Congress must act now and work together on a bipartisan solution.

Sincerely,

All questions and comments regarding public policy issues, legislation, or requests for personal assistance should be directed to the senators from your state. Please be aware that as a matter of professional courtesy, many senators will acknowledge, but not respond to, a message from another senato...

09/03/2025

08/29/2025

CalRTA Members | Retired Teachers | Retired Teachers in California

08/05/2025

Please help us get the word out regarding this wonderful opportunity! 50 lucky California teachers will receive a $100 State California Retired Teachers Association Teacher Grant. The window to apply opens August 20, 2025.