News

  • Hearing On Equity In Social Security In Their Own Words

    Thus beneficiaries will continue to be hit with steep costs when they fall into the coverage gap in the foreseeable future. To keep prices as low as possible in the doughnut hole, beneficiaries can look into using mail-order pharmacies, which require 90-day prescriptions and are often cheaper per dose than a 30-day supply. People with limited incomes may also qualify for Extra Help or other pharmaceutical assistance programs. TSCL also recommends that Part D beneficiaries talk to their doctors at each visit to discuss potential alternatives to their high-cost prescriptions. .This week, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill following a week-long holiday recess, and four Members of Congress signed on as cosponsors to key legislation that would make the Social Security program more equitable for public employees. .Most individual taxpayers will pay lower taxes, at least in the first few years, tax analysts say. But the tax cuts affecting middle-to-low-income people are temporary, and are set to expire in just eight years, by the end of 2025, while the tax cut for families in the very top income bracket is permanent. That's expected to leave the majority of taxpayers with higher tax bills down the road — something most people living on fixed income simply can't afford. TSCL is still assessing the expected impacts of the new legislation. … Continued

  • Cola Announced 2015 Well Cover Rising Costs

    What Could A COLA of No Less Than 3 Percent Mean For You? .Which dentists and dental specialists in your area are in the plan's network? Does the dental plan require you to use a network of dentists, or do you have the freedom to choose any provider who accepts your insurance? Are you willing to switch dentists in order for your care to be covered? It's especially important to learn what periodontists and other specialists in your area are in the dental plan's network. If you need to get a tooth pulled and an implant, but no periodontist accepts your dental coverage, you may wind up needing to spend ,000 or more out-of-pocket for an implant. .It is likely the President will face a legal challenge over these actions. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse and any changes to taxes or spending are supposed to come from Congress. … Continued

The AWI, however, is susceptible to causing permanent benefit reductions when it turns negative, which can happen in years of deep economic recession and extraordinarily high unemployment, as was the case in 2020. Last year, concerns were high that the reductions could be as high as 9.1%, according to an estimate by Social Security's Chief Actuary Stephen Goss. But since then the economy and wages have steadily recovered and the dip in the AWI, if any, is not expected to be so deep. .TSCL enthusiastically supports H.R. 1030, H.R. 1795, and H.R. 2305, and we were pleased to see support grow for each one this week. .It remains to be seen if Congress will go along with this plan. .Medicare's Fall Open Enrollment Period started on October 15th and will run through December 7th. For the past 14 years, I have volunteered to help neighbors and friends learn about changes in their current Part D prescription drug or Medicare Advantage coverage during this period. We compare options, track down the lowest costing plans and pharmacies, and often switch to a lower-costing plan when there's a better deal. .Survivor claims are increasing due to recent violence in Mexico. .The TSCL Board of Trustees and staff are all dedicated to helping seniors. The following services provided by TSCL are considered primary and essential to the betterment of the quality of life of our nation's senior citizens: .The SNAP Simplification for the Elderly Act (H.R. 4521) gained one new cosponsor in Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), bringing the new cosponsor total up to 20. If enacted, H.R. 4521 would streamline the application process for senior citizens to receive help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill would also encourage collaboration between local Social Security offices and the SNAP programs to help seniors at risk of hunger enroll in both benefits simultaneously. .The new bill would reform the health care system in several ways if adopted. It would remove the ACA's individual and employer mandates, modify tax credits so they would be based on age instead of income, create a new penalty for individuals who do not maintain continuous health insurance coverage, and allow health insurers to charge older Americans five times more than they charge younger folks for their coverage, making health insurance unaffordable for millions of seniors who are not yet eligible for Medicare. .After a much-anticipated election and an action-packed lame-duck session, the 113th Congress has officially begun and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) is gearing up for a busy year. Although the November election did not drastically alter the makeup on Capitol Hill, TSCL is expecting many new successes and challenges to arise. With the election finally behind them, lawmakers are able to focus on some of the complex policy issues that sit high on their agendas, like deficit reduction, immigration reform, and comprehensive tax reform.