Like many other states around the nation, Alabama’s population is aging fast. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of Alabamians aged 65 and older increased by more than 11 percent, and that trajectory shows no signs of slowing. As we enter another election year, this expanding population is expecting policymakers to address the issues that impact them most.

Seniors are increasingly concerned about the future of their health care coverage. Rising costs, fewer plan options, and uncertainty around Medicare Advantage funding are creating anxiety for beneficiaries who have worked their entire lives and simply want stability and access to quality health care in retirement. This uneasiness impacts their caregivers as well.

Just before the holidays, Medicare Advantage Majority commissioned a series of focus groups with seniors nationwide, including participants here in Alabama. The message we heard was unmistakable: seniors are deeply worried about ongoing talks in Washington and proposed funding cuts to Medicare Advantage—and what those cuts would mean for their access to crucial health care services. After all, they know that cuts to the program in recent years are exactly why many seniors experienced a more challenging open enrollment period this past year.

Many seniors told us they’re already worried about reductions in benefits and fewer plan options as we enter the new year. Reduced funding, they explained, inevitably leads to reduced access, fewer providers, longer wait times, and harder choices about whether to seek care at all. They fear those challenges will only worsen if the rhetoric around cuts and changes to the program turns into damaging policy action this year. For seniors managing chronic conditions or navigating complex health needs, waiting months for care just is not an option.

Unsurprisingly, cost was another major concern that seniors expressed. Many retirees live on fixed incomes and rely on Medicare Advantage as a predictable, stable way to manage health expenses. Yet going into 2026, many are grappling with higher premiums, increased copays, and changes to prescription drug coverage that is already costing them hundreds of dollars more than expected. One beneficiary said, “When you cut the funding for [Medicare Advantage], what would you expect to happen? You’re going to have to get more from the people that are using it, in the way of premiums, deductibles, copays, and the like, or you’re going to have to give them less.”

In Alabama, these concerns have far-reaching implications. Nearly 700,000 Alabamians—more than 60 percent of Medicare-eligible residents—are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. These plans offer benefits that fee-for-service Medicare doesn’t, including coordinated care, prescription drug coverage, and supplemental services that help seniors stay healthier and more independent. Without Medicare Advantage, many seniors would have no other way to access the doctors, medications, and critical services they have come to rely on.

Alabama seniors do not want constant changes to a program that works well for them, their caregivers, and their families. They want steady health coverage, and they want policymakers to remember the real-life consequences of funding decisions made in Washington. They are counting on leaders like Alabama’s Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville to protect the benefits that they’ve earned. As one Alabama Medicare Advantage beneficiary told us, “I feel like [Congress] needs to leave [Medicare Advantage] alone, keep it funded, and let it run its course. If they keep messing with it, that’s going to be disruptive to the seniors that are counting on it.”

The voices of these seniors echo the concerns of millions nationwide who depend on Medicare Advantage. And these seniors are paying attention to this election cycle. Referred to by President Trump’s pollster as “the deciders” for their decisive role in the 2022 midterms, older Americans will be watching closely to see which leaders are willing to stand up for seniors and protect and strengthen their health coverage—and which ones are willing to put them at risk.

This is an opinion column and does not necessarily represent or reflect the opinions of The Monthy Reporter, its editors, or its reporters. The opinions are those of its author. For information about submitting guest opinions, visit our contact page.