News

  • The Cpi E Would Pay A 1 9 Cola Versus The 1 6 You Are Actually Getting

    On Wednesday, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing titled "Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits: What You Need to Know." The Committee heard from a panel of experts, including Virginia Reno – Deputy Commissioner for Retirement and Disability Policy at the Social Security Administration (SSA) – and William Meyer – CEO of Social Security Solutions, Inc., a private firm that provides financial advice to retirees. .It's not what the government tracks that causes your Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to grow so slowly. It's what the government isn't tracking that's keeping your COLAs so low. It may surprise you, as it did us at TSCL, to recently learn that COLAs are calculated using methodology that doesn't directly measure what you pay out-of-pocket for health insurance premiums. Add to that the fact that the consumer price index (CPI) the government uses to calculate COLAs (CPI-W) represents the spending habits of younger urban wage earners and clerical workers — or the spending habits of only 29% of the U.S. population. That's certainly not going to reflect the inflation experienced by most Social Security recipients. .This week, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for legislation that would increase the administrative funding of the Social Security program, prevent field office closures, and eliminate two waiting periods that Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries must endure. In addition, six key bills gained new cosponsors in the House. … Continued

  • Legislative Update February March 2019

    I spent the better part of last year trying to determine the cause of, and best treatment for, a mysterious chronic cough. A non-smoker, I'm usually obnoxiously healthy. Last year, though, I went through a battery of four specialists, a long menu of tests, underwent surgery and spent a night in the hospital. Yet by January of this year the cough was worse than ever. .Lawmakers Adjourn for Holiday Recess .Sources: Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund: Background and Solvency Issues, Morton, Congressional Research Service, November 20, 2013, R4331"Social Security Made .3 Billion in Improper Disability Payments," Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press, September 14, 201"60 Minutes: Disability USA," Steve Kroft, CBS News, October 6, 201To view this story visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57606233/disability-usa . … Continued

The crackdown was unique not only for its scale, but also. No Lie! Affordable Care Act Not So Affordable .It is bad enough that non-medical professionals are involved in criminal activity like this but for a doctor to be part of it is outrageous. .Living on a Social Security budget can make gift-giving tough. Here are five thoughtful ideas for do-it-yourself gifts that will make the season merrier for all: .Instead, that money has gone into the pockets of the wealthy. Now Republicans want to cut benefits for hard - working Americans. They want to harm the most vulnerable among us, including manufacturing a crisis to put disabled Americans at risk of facing a nearly 20% cut in benefits, even while they provide more tax breaks for the wealthy and for corporations. .TSCL believes Congress must ensure stronger protections of Social Security in order to prevent payments based on illegal work. TSCL supports legislation that would prevent Social Security credit being earned without legal status such as (S.95) introduced by Senator David Vitter (LA). Sources: "Status of Totalization Agreements," Social Security Administration, October 22, 200"Social Security Benefits for Noncitizens," Congressional Research Service, July 20, 2006. .The program applies to illegals under the age of 31, who entered the U.S. prior to the age of 16, and have resided illegally in the U.S. since June 15, 200Applicants must also be currently enrolled in school, have a GED certificate, or have served in the U.S. military, and be law-abiding. Critics, including TSCL, question how the government will be able to verify when applicants actually entered the country and whether they were under the age of 16 when they did. .Poll after poll has shown the American public supports expanding Social Security. It,s time Congress listens to the American people who want to expand Social Security, not the Wall Street millionaires who want to cut it. .Under both measures, the poverty rate increases with age, and was higher for people in relatively poor health. .Help! My Insulin Costs Skyrocketed. Health Plan Blames Covid-19!