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  • Ask The Advisor May 2014

    Medicare Reform – Protect beneficiaries from changes that would impose greater out-of-pocket costs on beneficiaries. .Leading GOP plans impose broad spending reductions, would overhaul Medicare and cut Medicaid, while President Obama and Democrats are insisting tax increases are required, particularly on people with higher incomes over 0,000. Respondents to TSCL's Seniors Survey also tended to be more divided when asked whether they "strongly agreed" that the budget deficit should be reduced by cutting discretionary spending, or by closing tax loop holes and small revenue increases. However, when those in the middle, who "agree somewhat," are counted, a majority, 74%, agree that the budget deficit should be reduced by a fair balance of both discretionary spending cuts and modest revenue increases. .Jodey Arrington represents Texas' 19th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. … Continued

  • Congressional Corner Rebuilding The Economy Needs To Include Mobility For Senior Citizens

    Economic Conditions Compounded Problem .The Social Security Administration is required to withhold in benefits for each you earned above the limit until the year in which you reach full retirement age. The year in which you reach full retirement age, you are allowed to earn more. The amount you may earn is adjusted annually. In 2007 when you retired, it was ,960 (,080 per month) for retirees like you who were under full retirement age. .According to the Center for Public Integrity, one of the nation's oldest nonpartisan investigative news services, home visits have risen sharply at many Medicare Advantage health plans. While visiting nurses and doctors don't offer any treatment during these visits, they do report exam findings to the patient's primary care doctor. Insurers say the free annual physicals offer a new benefit to help certain health plan enrollees stay fit and in their homes as long as possible. But critics, including some Members of Congress, are concerned the visits may be padding Medicare's bill. … Continued

Three Bills Gain Cosponsors .TSCL strongly supports legislation that would provide a minimum COLA in years when inflation is below average — such as the Guaranteed 3% COLA Act (H.R. 991) sponsored by Representative Eliot Engel (NY-16). How are low COLAs and higher costs affecting you? Let your Members of Congress know! Call 1-844-455-0045. .Americans are anxious to get back to normal after over a year of being limited in their activities because of the pandemic. For many seniors, as well as others, that includes vacationing, and vacationing includes trips on cruise ships. .Lawmakers remained in their home states and districts this week for the August recess. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, September 8th. In the meantime, many Members of Congress will attend local events and hold town hall meetings, giving constituents an excellent opportunity to voice their concerns and have their most pressing questions answered. .The irony is that when Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) because Senate Majority Leader in 2015 he said the Senate must return to "regular order," which means getting its work done in an orderly fashion and on time. .The credit for qualifying children is fully refundable, which means that taxpayers can benefit from the credit even if they don't have earned income or don't owe any income taxes. .Over the past 25 years, Congress has periodically debated plans to fix Social Security's financing, that rely heavily on benefit cuts. But for the first time in 2019 and 2020, Congress is considering a plan to strengthen Social Security and its benefits while making the program solvent by beefing up the payroll tax revenues flowing into the program. .An immigration program launched by the Obama Administration two years ago has issued valid, work-authorized Social Security numbers to about 600,000 applicants who attest to be in the country illegally. The program, known as "Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals," is one of a series of administrative amnesty initiatives by President Obama to stop deportations of immigrants and let undocumented immigrants who meet the qualifications work in this country despite illegal status. Now immigration activists are pressuring President Obama and Members of Congress to expand the Deferred Action program, or pass immigration reform. .For many aged 65 and older, times are already tough. Since 2005, health care costs have risen faster than inflation every year except 200We need to be working to make retirement more secure for the 130,000 seniors living in Southern Arizona who I represent and the millions of others across the country. I'll continue to fight to make that happen.