Rep. Jimmy Panetta, currently serving in the U.S. Congress and representing California’s 19th district since 2017, has been actively addressing issues concerning Medicare payments. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1969, Panetta graduated from the University of California, Davis, and earned his JD from Santa Clara University. He resides in Carmel Valley.
On May 15, 2025, Rep. Panetta tweeted about introducing an amendment during a lengthy session of the Ways and Means Committee to tackle a pressing issue for Medicare patients. “During a 17-hour all-night markup in the Ways and Means Committee,” he stated, “I introduced an amendment to address a growing crisis for Medicare patients.” He emphasized that healthcare providers are being forced out of Medicare due to inadequate payment adjustments amidst rising care costs.
In another tweet on the same day, Panetta highlighted that “since 2001, when you account for inflation, Medicare payments to physicians have been cut by one-third.” This reduction has resulted in challenges for seniors and disabled Americans in finding doctors who accept Medicare within California’s 19th District and nationwide.
Further expressing his stance on fiscal policies through another post, Panetta argued for bipartisan solutions over tax cuts benefiting billionaires at the expense of programs supporting working families. He stated: “This is the kind of bipartisan policy that we should be pursuing.”
Panetta succeeded Sam Farr as a U.S Congress member representing California’s 19th District in 2017.
