News

  • Legislative Update May 2009 Advisor

    However, there is news of importance to seniors that hasn't gotten nearly as much attention. .This week, four new cosponsors signed on to the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 973), bringing the total up to 10The new cosponsors are: Reps. Kathleen Rice (NY-4), Andre Carson (IN-7), Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-8), and Brendan Boyle (PA-13). .Seniors wanting to learn how much a COLA cut would cost in Social Security income should visit the TSCL Chained COLA calculator. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending May 5 2017

    Irene is the first to say she wouldn't know where to begin when it comes to figuring out the best deal for her drug coverage. To accomplish this she gets unbiased advice and counseling. Her neighbor, Mary Johnson, is a Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). Johnson, who has assisted seniors to compare and enroll in plans since the start of Part D in 2006, says "the cost differences between plans can be huge - Irene saved about ,276 in 2011 alone." .That spells trouble for people living on fixed incomes. "When COLAs fall down on the job of protecting benefit buying power, seniors face working longer, digging deeper into retirement savings, or falling into debt and poverty," says Ed Cates, Chairman of TSCL. ., editor, and Terry Newell, President, Leadership for a Responsible Society … Continued

Congress should restrict price increases of prescription drugs to no more than the rate of inflation. — 83 percent support, 13 percent not sure, and only 5 percent opposed. .This week, lawmakers in both chambers voted to approve a temporary spending bill to fund the government past September 30th. In addition, The Senior Citizens League's (TSCL's) legislative team met with several Members of Congress and their aides, and two key bills gained support. .Experts estimate that fraud, waste, and abuse within Medicare costs more than billion each year. What efforts do you support to ramp up prevention? .This year, The Senior Citizens League has heard from supporters like never before about some extreme costs of prescription drugs. One supporter told us she pays ,800 for a three-month supply of insulin as a type 2 diabetic. She said: "I do not have that kind of money! My doctor has been giving me samples to keep me afloat but I cannot expect him to do that forever … I will have to sell my house to pay for insulin." .With about 1 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Located just outside Washington, D.C., its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and to protect and defend the benefits senior citizens have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of TREA The Enlisted Association. .For 4 per month the state of Virginia retirees should be able to purchase the most comprehensive drug coverage available nationally. But that was not the case. In fact, the drug benefits offered for 4 per month were almost identical to what Paula could purchase directly on her own for just .70 per month. The cost is so much lower because the federal government pays subsidies that cover an average of 75% of the cost of the Part D premium. Paula could not enjoy that savings if she received her Part D coverage through the state of Virginia retiree plan. If Paula chose to "opt out," she could find an even less costly plan that provided better coverage for the drugs she currently took. .To learn more about benefits, Notch Babies or a family member helping on their behalf can get personalized assistance to screen and apply for benefits. If you have accesses to the internet use the BenefitsCheckUp screening tool by visiting www.benefitscheckup.org. If you don't have computer access call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1166. .TSCL feels that individuals should not be penalized financially if they are unable to enroll on time due to technical issues with the website, and we enthusiastically support the Delay until Fully Functional Act. We look forward to working with Sen. Rubio and Rep. Radel in the coming months to help build support for their bill. .The revenues from taxation of benefits are earmarked for funding Social Security and Medicare benefits. "Those revenues take on new importance in 2020, as the coronavirus takes a significant toll on Social Security and Medicare payroll tax revenues with more than 40 million people out of work," Johnson says.