By National Women’s Law Center Action Fund
As Election Day approaches, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump present two dramatically different visions on how to safeguard the financial security and wellbeing of older women.
Kamala Harris’ Plan: Aging with Independence and Dignity
Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed expanding Medicare to include in-home health care for aging and disabled adults. This would allow more older women to age with dignity in their own homes while remaining active in their communities. The plan would be funded primarily by expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices, making it a win-win by both improving caregiving options and lowering prescription drug costs.
Harris’ proposal is designed to ease the burden on middle-class families, especially those in the “sandwich generation” who are caring for both children and aging parents. Ensuring that Medicare covers the cost of in-home care would relieve financial and emotional pressures that many of these families currently face.
This plan would be especially beneficial to disabled women and women of color, who often work in lower-paying jobs due to systemic inequities. These women frequently struggle to save enough for retirement, which can force them into underfunded, poorly regulated long-term care facilities with substandard conditions. And it would improve pay and job quality for home care workers—who are also overwhelmingly women, disproportionately women of color, and typically are paid poverty-level wages for the essential care they provide.
By expanding Medicare to cover in-home care, Harris’ plan would be transformative for older women, enabling them to live more independently and access the quality care they deserve.
Donald Trump’s Plan: Cuts to Social Security and Medicare
In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s economic proposals threaten to undermine older women’s financial security. An independent group found that Trump’s campaign pledges would decimate funding for Social Security within six years, creating the risk of a 33% reduction in benefits. This would equate to a monthly reduction of $629 for women – a significant loss for women, who already have lower average benefits than men and rely heavily on Social Security for basic health and wellbeing.
These cuts are not accidental. Throughout his campaign, Trump has repeatedly suggested that cuts to Medicare are also on the table, stating, “there is a lot you can do… in terms of cutting.”
Additionally, Trump has proposed raising the retirement age for Social Security to 70. This would disproportionately harm women in physically demanding jobs, like caregiving, who may struggle to continue working as they age. Notably, most life expectancy gains have been concentrated among higher earners, meaning this change would ignore the realities faced by lower- and middle-income workers, who are not living significantly longer.
The Choice is Clear
Kamala Harris’ policies would empower older women and provide the support they need to age with dignity. In contrast, Donald Trump’s proposals would strip away crucial financial protections. The stakes could not be higher.
