News

  • Benefit Bulletin September 2021

    Will Medicare Soon Include Dental Coverage and More? .One new cosponsor also signed on to the Strengthening Social Security Act (H.R. 3118), bringing the total up fifty-six. The new cosponsor is Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-1). If signed into law, the bill would reform the Social Security program in three ways: it would adjust the benefit formula, resulting in more generous monthly benefits; it would adopt the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), resulting in more accurate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and it would lift the cap on income subject to the payroll tax. The bill would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund responsibly, without cutting benefits for seniors. .Most Committee Members seemed to agree with him but as the hearing went on, it became clear just how difficult the task will become under strict time constraints and in a politically-charged environment. Most Members shifted their focus toward reforming the corporate code, since it will likely be more politically feasible. Co-chair Jeb Hensarling (TX) stated, "Fundamental tax reform, even if limited to American businesses, can result in both revenues for economic growth and jobs for the American people." By lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent and by eliminating loopholes, Hensarling said that 2.1 million jobs would be created over ten years. … Continued

  • Category Legislative News Page 60

    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." .House Passes Prescription Drug Legislation .TSCL believes that beneficiaries need to maintain the freedom to choose their plan, their providers, and how they get their care. "We urge CMS and states to ensure a thorough beneficiary education process and have provisions that allow care with existing providers, especially during the transition," Hyland says. … Continued

This week, a House committee held a high-profile hearing on recent developments in the prescription drug market, and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw support grow for one key bill. .What if I make a donation and then become dissatisfied with TSCL? .The report goes on to say that "… the bill is fiercely opposed by Republicans and the powerful pharmaceutical industry, with executives warning it would harm innovation that leads to new drug development. The 50-50 split in the Senate is also raising questions about whether it could get through that chamber without losing any moderate Democrats." .Click here for more information about our legislative agenda. There you can also sign a petition to your Members of Congress, view bills that have been recently introduced in the House and Senate, and stay updated with the latest news on Capitol Hill. .According to the study, the Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) has increased benefits just 38% since 2000, while typical senior expenses have jumped 81 percent, more than twice as much. Seniors with average Social Security benefits in 2000 received about 6 per month, a figure that rose to ,129.80 by 201However, those seniors would require a Social Security benefit of ,477.00 per month in 2013 just to maintain their 2000 level of buying power. .The legislation now calls for a "one-time, one-year increase in the Medicare physician fee schedule of 3.75 percent" in 2021 "to provide relief during the COVID-19 public health emergency." .(Washington, DC) – Social Security recipients are likely to get an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 6 to a 6.1 percent in 2022, according to The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The COLA that becomes payable in January of 2022 would be the highest since 198"Our forecast is based on CPI data through August, and there is still one more month of consumer price data to come in before we get the official announcement in October, says Mary Johnson, Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. .In addition, U.S. Customs may be trying to clamp down on prescription drugs being shipped to American consumers from Canadian pharmacies. Although "reimportation" of prescription drugs from abroad continues to be illegal, Customs and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have only intermittently seized shipments of Canadian drugs in the past. Canadian mail order pharmacies and drug-buying programs run by senior advocates reported earlier this year that the number of seizures has more than quadrupled recently. .We are covering this study again because according to an article on BenefitsPro.com, "The study is part of a growing body of evidence that cost-sharing, designed to encourage consumers to make smarter choices when shopping for health care, is not achieving that goal. Both anecdotal and statistical data suggest that health care, as it exists today in the U.S, is simply too complicated and opaque for Americans to approach as a simple consumer product."