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  • Government Shut Down A Message To Tscl Members And Supporters

    Catastrophic coverage stage (if you spend a total of more than ,100 counting all your prescriptions): .15 .2014 Annual Survey of Senior Costs, Mary Johnson, The Senior Citizens League, March 2014. .Supporters also stressed the fact that the IPAB has strict limitations. The Board cannot restrict Medicare benefits, raise taxes, increase beneficiaries' cost-sharing, modify eligibility criteria, cut payments to hospitals before 2020, or ration care. Instead, the IPAB will report on healthcare costs, access, quality, and utilization each year, and will make innovative cost-saving recommendations as it sees fit. … Continued

  • Disability Benefit Cut Looming

    TSCL's research has consistently found that Medicare Part B premiums rank as one of the fastest growing senior costs. Yet Medicare premium costs are not included in the measure currently used to determine the annual COLA — one major reason why COLAs do such a poor job of keeping up with rising healthcare costs. TSCL continues to lobby for a more fair and accurate COLA and supports legislation that would use a seniors' index — like the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) — to determine the annual boost. .At the hearings, many Committee Members were still getting up to speed on the structural and procedural aspects of the IPAB. The IPAB, which will be made up of 15 "experts" appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will begin issuing recommendations to Congress in 2015 if Medicare spending exceeds the targets established by the Affordable Care Act. Those recommendations will be reviewed on a "fast-track" basis, and, if Congress fails to act quickly, HHS will be forced to implement them. .Recently one of our readers asked "Is there a percentage as to how much less NOTCH BABIES receive monthly?" … Continued

Can you tell me how I can find out what my benefit and probable income from Social Security would be? I've heard some complaints about conflicting information. I turn 62 later this year. .The CBO estimates that replacing Medicare with a premium support system would save the federal government as much as 5 billion over ten years.[3] The CBO also estimates that premiums paid by affected beneficiaries, however, would be about 30 percent higher on average by 2020 than the current projected Part B premium. In addition, the CBO said that shifting seniors to private plans would affect access to providers, a problem that many seniors are experiencing with Medicare Advantage plans now. ."The best laid schemes of mice and men oft go awry." That was authored by 18th century poet Robert Burns, and served as the inspiration for the title of John Steinbeck's book, Of Mice and Men, but aptly describes the economic situation facing today's seniors. .Learn how the "anchoring effect" may impact choosing the age to claim Social Security benefits here: "What's Secretly Sabotaging Your Finances? — Your Brain" .TSCL Wants to Know: Did You Wind Up Owing Uncle Sam? .There seems to be a great disagreement among supporters of Notch reform over who is truly a Notch Victim. What are the facts? .This week, lawmakers remained in their home states and districts for a week-long spring break. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Monday, March 2In the meantime, many Members of Congress will be hosting town hall meetings, which The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) encourages its supporters to attend. .More than ever before, it is critical that seniors make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. In the past two years, countless proposals to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits have been backed by deficit hawks in Congress. Recent plans have called for lower cost-of-living adjustments, increased Medicare means testing, a higher retirement age, and even the phasing out of Medicare altogether. The stakes are high for seniors, and with a critical election just months away, every voice counts. The stacks of petitions that our members signed were delivered along with a personalized letter addressed to each Member of Congress. The letters expressed appreciation to those who have already signed on as supporters of the key issues. To those who have not, however, they conveyed a powerful and urgent message and served as a call to action. .What do you think? Should health and drug plans be responsible for removing illegals from Medicare rolls? Take a poll on the TSCL homepage today!