Republicans across the country, including President-elect Trump, were ushered into office by older adult voters. By winning voters aged 45 and above by more than eight points, Trump overcame a significant deficit among Millennials; ultimately giving him the majority of the Electoral College.

Now, when it comes to ObamaCare, Republicans have two big promises to keep. They pledged to repeal the unpopular law, and the voters expect them to do that. They also have promised for years to restore that law’s Medicare cuts. Voters — especially Republican voters — will expect them to keep that pledge too.

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For two presidential election cycles in a row, the Republican presidential nominee has promised to save Medicare. Mitt Romney in 2012 promised to restore the $716 billion Obamacare cut from the federal health insurance program for senior citizens. In 2016, Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE promised not to cut Medicare funding and not to take it away from those who depend upon it.

I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid. Huckabee copied me. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2015

Here is the catch. Trump cannot keep his promise unless he keeps Romney’s.

According to a report from the Heritage Foundation, “Medicare payment cuts will threaten seniors’ future access to care.”

That’s because ObamaCare was funded in part by a $716 billion reduction in federal Medicare payments. The bulk of those payments went to hospitals. Republicans ever since have campaigned on restoring those cuts. Those promises helped them win big victories in Congress in 2014.

Repealing ObamaCare, though, would not automatically restore those funds. In fact, an ObamaCare repeal bill passed by the Republican Congress last year did not restore all of that funding. Congress has to make a determined effort to do that or else it could be overlooked.

Restoring the Medicare cuts is about more than keeping promises. A recent study by healthcare consulting firm Dobson/DaVanzo showed the impact on America’s hospitals if those cuts are allowed to stay.

If Medicare funding is not restored to its pre-Obamacare level, hospitals stand to lose $165.8 billion because of reduced health insurance coverage from 2018-2026, the study said.

Hospitals would lose another $289.5 billion in Medicare inflation updates during that same period if Medicare funding is not restored.

They would then face an additional $102.9 billion in losses if Congress does not restore Medicare and Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payments.

So the consequences of not keeping the party’s promise to restore those Medicare cuts would be enormous. Hospitals — the first place Americans turn when they have a health emergency — would be financially crippled. That would put critical health care services at risk.

In 2010, Medicare’s chief actuary ran a study to determine the effects of these Medicare cuts. He found that the cuts would “jeopardize” senior citizens’ access to care by putting 15 percent of hospitals and other Medicare providers in the red.

Further analysis from the actuary’s office concluded that the cuts would make 40 percent of Medicare providers unprofitable, forcing many to stop participating in the program.

The federal government’s own research shows that these low Medicare payment levels are not sustainable. Maintaining an effective Medicare program, as President-elect Trump has promised, would be impossible if its funding is not restored.

Many Republicans are clamoring to leverage their hold on both chambers and the White House to reform entitlements. While that should certainly be on the table, reform cannot come at the cost of providing care to those on Medicare or about to be eligible. If it does, Republicans’ reign in leadership could be short-lived.

And finally, Republicans are the party of compassion. We owe it to our seniors, who depend on Medicare, to keep this program operational and to prevent it from shedding so many providers that seniors have a hard time finding the care they need. We owe it to them to restore the Medicare funding Obamacare cut from the program and ensure its solvency for years to come.

Darren Bearson, the president of Compass Point Strategies, worked in the White House’s Office of Political Affairs under President George W. Bush (2001-2005) and has advised Republican candidates in more than 30 states over the past twenty years.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.