News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending May 31 2019

    Second, four new cosponsors – Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT), Senator Roy Blunt (MO), Representative Bill Posey (FL-8), and Representative Maxine Waters (CA-43) – signed on to the CHANGE Act (S. 2387, H.R. 4957), bringing the total up to ten in the Senate and twenty-four in the House. If adopted, the CHANGE Act would promote early identification of Alzheimer's disease, improve support for family caregivers, and provide continuous care for those battling many forms of dementia. .One of the options to address Social Security that appears to have widespread support is increasing the Social Security retirement age. Raising the age at which people would be eligible for unreduced Social Security benefits has been discussed by policy "wonks" for years, but has largely remained out of the discussion with the general public. However, this summer two high-ranking Members of Congress spotlighted the topic in a rare public airing that was discussed in the media and the general public. Within a week of each other, Rep. John Boehner (OH-8), the House Minority Leader, and Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-5), the House Majority Leader, both advocated raising the Social Security retirement age. .Create a family documentary. Create a family scrap-book with old photos and memorabilia. If you have access to a computer and scanner or a friend with one, scan old photos for a digital family scrapbook you can share online. If a family member is good with making videos, consider doing a mini-documentary. Think of the questions you have about your ancestors and ask yourself the same. Like how you and your spouse met, how your family coped during a particularly hard time, or document a skill or craft that you love. This is also a good way to teach cooking your favorite family foods! Upload the video to YouTube to share with your family and send a link in a holiday email. … Continued

  • Tscl Weekly Legislative Update

    Out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs was the fastest rising expense of retirees from 2000 to 2019, according to a recent study of retiree costs by TSCL. While the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increased Social Security benefits by 50 percent over the period, out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs rose more than five times faster — 253%. .TSCL is receiving a large number of comments about the impact of no COLA from retirees around the country, and recently started posting some of the stories. According to new research for TSCL, there are several important factors affecting why COLAs aren't accurately reflecting retiree healthcare costs. "First of all, the consumer price index (CPI) used to calculate Social Security and other retiree COLAs doesn't survey the spending of people age 65 and over," Cates explains. The Consumer Price Index for Workers (CPI-W) does not include changes in Medicare premiums, according to background information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). .Some Republicans said such proxy voting is unconstitutional and would subject any legislation passed with such procedures to court challenges. However, Democrats countered by citing letters from two legal scholars who argued the Constitution gives the House and Senate the power to determine their rules and procedures and the courts have declared them off limits to legal challenges. … Continued

Estimating that this new rule would save approximately million over five years, CMS proposes to require Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans to "involuntarily dis-enroll" people who are in the country illegally, something that may prove difficult for private plans to substantiate. .All of that raises questions about whether Democrats have enough votes to advance H.R. 3 out of the House, but in any case, it's highly unlikely that the bill could get the 60 votes necessary to defeat a filibuster in the Senate. .The Senior Citizens League encourages its supporters to attend these events and to ask important questions of their elected officials, like the following four… .Thus, if you need to replace lost income right away, and you don't have a lot of savings or other resources to finance a waiting period for benefits, your husband may be better off simply filing a claim now for Social Security retirement benefits. While those benefits would be reduced due to starting benefits prior to his full retirement age, the application process is straightforward and can be accomplished easily online. Benefits could be started on the effective date you choose. .Last - don't let all the political spin about Social Security scare you. The program is not going broke. Social Security does face a long-term financial challenge. Even when the Social Security Trust Fund becomes exhausted there would still be sufficient assets from payroll taxes to pay about 75 percent of promised benefits. Although that isn't a fair or acceptable outcome — a far more likely one — Congress will take action to correct the imbalance. .On halting evictions, the President has said many times in recent days he wants to prevent them. The President called for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield to "consider" whether an eviction ban is needed. .SGR Talks Stall as Deadline Looms .Your total earnings, including your earnings now until you stop working. .We will update you whenever we have additional information.