2006 Senior Survey, Tell Us What You Think!

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2006 Senior Survey, Tell Us What You Think!

We need your input on issues of concern to you. Your feedback provides invaluable information that we can share with your Members of Congress and use to help us provide you with better services. The results help us craft the TSCL legislative agenda and represent your interests on Capitol Hill. Thank you for your help!

Did you have prescription drug coverage in 2005?
Yes
No
Did you know that Medicare now covers prescription drugs effective January 1, 2006?
Yes
No
Have you enrolled in a new Medicare prescription drug plan in order to receive the new benefit?
Yes
No
If you have not enrolled in a new Medicare prescription drug plan do you intend to do so before the end of the initial enrollment period, May 15, 2006?
Yes
No
If you do not intend to enroll in a new Medicare drug plan, why not? (Please check only one answer that best describes your situation.)
I don’t need it. I already have prescription drug coverage.
I don’t need it. I’m healthy and I don’t spend much money on prescriptions.
I shopped for the drug coverage but it would cost more than I spend now.
The new program is so confusing that I don’t know what to do.
If you have enrolled, or are considering enrolling, in a new Medicare drug plan, how affordable do the costs seem?
a. Premiums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low OK Higher than expected Too High
b. Deductible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low OK Higher than expected Too High
c. Co-Pays and Co-Insurance. . Low OK Higher than expected Too High
If you received retiree drug insurance from a former employer, union or other organization in 2005, do you still have it?
Yes
No
If you no longer have retiree drug insurance from a former employer, union or other organization, why not?
The coverage was dropped.
The cost of the coverage got too high for my budget and I cancelled the coverage.
I’m uncertain whether the new Medicare drug benefit will help me.
True
False
The government needs to replace this program with a drug benefit that’s simple and easy to use
Agree
Disagree
The government should be allowed to set drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries like it does for Veterans.
Agree
Disagree
Consumers should be allowed to legally import prescription drugs from Canada and other developed nations where prices are often much lower.
Agree
Desagree
After the deduction for your Medicare premiums, is your monthly 2006 Social Security benefit higher, or lower, than it was in 2005?
Higher
Lower
Please check only one statement below that you most agree with.
In order to repay the money the government has borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund (currently $1.8 trillion) the government should:
Borrow the money
Transfer the money from general federal revenues
Raise taxes
Cut future benefits
Please check only one statement below that you most agree with.
In order to strengthen Social Security’s financing, the government should:
Increase payroll taxes
Increase the amount of earnings upon which workers pay Social Security
Increase general federal revenues by allowing recent tax cuts to expire
The government should NOT increase taxes
Please check only one statement below that you most agree with.
In order to make Social Security more sustainable in the future Congress should:
Cut benefits of future retirees by increasing the eligibility age for full, unreduced benefits
Cut benefits of future retirees by changing the benefit formula
Cut the benefits of future high-income retirees
Cut the annual Cost of Living Adjustment
The government should NOT cut any benefits
Prioritize the following legislative issues from 1 to 5, with 1 being the most important.
Notch Reform
Fight Cost-Of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Cuts
Provision of a More Adequate COLA
Fight U.S./Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement
Replace the confusing new Medicare drug benefit program with a simple to use drug benefit.

December 2005