News

  • Ask Advisor August 2016

    Consumers in the U.S. are used to have many choices when it comes to the products we buy. Usually that is a good thing. But sometimes it creates a dilemma in deciding which is the right one to get. It turns out that the problem of choice is creating concerns about which of the vaccines against the coronavirus we should take. .With reconciliation, Democrats can pass a bill without any Republican votes so they are hoping to get a much more comprehensive bill than the Grassley-Wyden one. .This week, Members of Congress returned to their home states and districts for a week-long recess to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Monday, November 28th, to resume the lame-duck session. … Continued

  • Issues Social Security Reform Track Bills

    Three Key Bills Gain Cosponsors .We could, too, but would need to consider mechanisms outside of our current box — at least for this national emergency. .To make the Social Security program fairer, The Senior Citizens League is advocating for legislation that would give beneficiaries a more adequate annual COLA. Under current law, the COLA is based on the spending patterns of young, working Americans. It fails to capture the true inflation seniors experience since it does not include major expenses like rising Medicare premiums. The bipartisan CPI-E Act (H.R. 1251) would base the COLA on the spending patterns of older Americans, and it's a change that is backed by 81 percent of The Senior Citizens League's supporters according to the results of our 2018 Senior Survey. … Continued

Once again, the question among some is whether it is allergies or Covid or something else. .For details, or to see if your Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings during the summer recess, call their local offices. You can find contact information HERE. .Sources: "What Medicaid Cuts Will Mean For Seniors," Gleckman, Kaiser Health News, May 18, 2011. .House Committee Discusses Retirement Security .I would like to know how, at this point, you project a Social Security COLA at 6.1%. Inflation would have to continue on an upward path through September for that to happen. — R.Q., NJ .We know that COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness, and death. .Stories About High Drug Costs Lead To Congressional Investigation of Pharmaceutical Pricing .According to the 2020 Social Security Trustees report, which does not include estimates of the impact of the coronavirus, Social Security is expected to receive about 3.3 billion in payroll tax revenues this year. "That estimate is higher than it actually will be, since it was based on just a 5 percent unemployment rate," Johnson notes. "Currently the unemployment numbers are roughly four times higher than that," she points out. In addition, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), allows employers to defer the employer portion of payroll taxes in 2020 for up to two years. .Since passage of Medicare in 1965 all seniors received the same benefits for the same standard premium. But in 2003, Congress took the unprecedented step of passing legislation that required "upper-income" seniors to pay increased premiums for Medicare Part B. Forcing these seniors to pay more for the same Medicare benefits is known as the "means test."