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Legislative Update: Who Will Determine The Future Of Your Medicare And Social Security Benefits? By Michael Ouellette, Legislative Director, TSCL
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, running mate of Vice President Al Gore, is on the record as supporting Notch Reform. He is one of only two members of the U.S. Senate to take a stand for Notch Reform during this past session of Congress. Lieberman is a co-sponsor of S.390, "The Notch Fairness Act" which would allow those born from 1917 through 1926 to choose either an improved monthly benefit or Lump-Sum payments totaling $5,000 over four years. Lieberman is known for his integrity and good values, "for placing life's most important things in front of politics." You have a lot at stake in this election, but who will determine the future of your benefits? Will it be you? In recent elections less than half of all eligible voters made decisions that affected everyone else in the country. That is not how the democratic system was designed to work. In order to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits, and to pass Notch Reform, we are going to have to assert ourselves at the polls this election season. We can't be lulled into thinking that our vote doesn't make any difference-it does, but you must cast it first! Notch babies have one of the greatest opportunities in years to build the momentum on Notch Reform. We urge you to get the word out to other Notch Babies, to your family and friends. Then go to the polls and VOTE on November 7. This article first appeared in Volume 5, Issue 10 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (October/2000). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here. | ||||||||
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President Bush is likely to be signing into law major changes to Medicare and more than likely, Social Security. The changes will have a direct impact on your benefits, like adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, and perhaps changing how much you must pay for deductibles and co-insurance. Changes to Social Security could involve more reductions to Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs), and whether money should be diverted out of the Social Security system in order to allow workers to set up retirement accounts. Those changes could also involve Notch Reform, but not without your vote. 