Shocking report shows seniors’ health more at risk in RTW states
By ED FINKELSTEIN
Publisher
Seniors living in so-called “right-to-work” states are among the least healthy in the nation, according to a review of the United Health Foundation’s “American’s Health Rankings: Senior Report 2017.”
If you are a retiree, a senior living on your own or a family with a senior member living with you, the health consequences of living in a RTW state are sad, if not outrageous.
In a ranking of WORST to BEST states regarding seniors’ health:
WORST STATES
• RTW – 18 of the 25 worst states for seniors’ health (72 percent) are RTW states.
• WITHOUT RTW – Only seven of the 25 worst states for seniors’ health (28 percent) are in states without RTW.
BEST STATES
• WITHOUT RTW – 16 of the best 25 best states for seniors’ health (64 percent) are in states without RTW.
• RTW – Only nine of the best 25 states for seniors’ health (36 percent) are RTW states.
On Aug. 7, voters will decide on whether to let RTW become law in Missouri when they vote on Proposition A. Vote NO on Prop. A to keep RTW out of Missouri and keep our state from falling further behind in the health care of our senior residents.
Missouri is already the ninth least healthy state in America for seniors. RTW will put further stress on our seniors when they need better care, not worse.
Vote NO on Prop. A on Aug. 7 to defeat RTW.
ABOUT THE STUDY
The United Health Foundation report provides a comprehensive analysis of senior population health on a national and state-by-state basis across 34 measures of senior health determinants and outcomes.
The 2017 edition marks the fifth publication of the report, which serves as a benchmark of senior health for individuals, community leaders, policymakers, media and public health professionals.
“The healthiest states for seniors are spread throughout the United States, while the least-healthy states are clustered in the southern region,” the report’s authors note. That’s also where the most RTW states are clustered.
RTW (PROP. A) HURTS MISSOURI SENIORS
The United Health Foundation’s report is not political. It provides a non-partisan, unbiased look at senior health and outcomes based on geography without any consideration of whether a state has RTW. But the report’s findings cannot be ignored. Seniors’ health and health outcomes are worse in states that have RTW.
If you have a senior member in your family, this is yet another reason the phony promise of RTW will be bad for Missouri.
PROP. A (RTW) IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS
Prop. A (RTW) is not what it seems. Don’t trust it. It weakens unions, forces Missouri workers to accept lower wages and benefits, and broadens the gap between working families and wealthy CEOs.
Prop. A (RTW) will drive down wages for Missouri families, making it harder to make ends meet, and will cost jobs by making it harder for private sector employers, like UPS, Anheuser-Bush, Boeing and others to negotiate with workers and effectively manage their business.
Vote NO on Prop. A to protect your pay.
Vote NO on Prop. A to defeat RTW.
Prop. A (RTW) will be on the Aug. 7 election ballot, when traditionally fewer voters turn out to the polls.
Don’t let this cynical maneuver prevent you from voting.
Vote NO on Prop. A on Aug. 7.
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