News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending June 21 2013

    The WEP affects people who worked for a state or local government employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes from salary. When you claim the pension for your work as a police officer, the WEP can reduce your Social Security benefit by as much as half of the amount of your pension. .Recently I had a chance to learn how to do a better job at decision - making by taking a course through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Virginia. Instructor Terry Newell's work focuses on values-based leadership, ethics, and better decision making — skills for which there is very high demand — but all too short supply. Here are some insights from Dr. Terry Newell: .On Thursday, with a vote of 326-96, lawmakers in the House passed legislation that will fund the federal government past December 9th. The short-term continuing resolution (CR) will provide funding at a .07 trillion rate – up slightly from the current rate of .067 trillion – through April 28, 2017. … Continued

  • Social Security And Medicare Cuts Eyed

    The Senior Citizens League believes Congress can prevent the triggering of the Social Security hold harmless provision and eliminate spiking Medicare premiums entirely by providing an adequate COLA. This includes providing an emergency COLA or boost for 2021. .(Washington, DC) – Although there won't be any Social Security cost – of - living adjustment (COLA) next year, many of the nation's biggest drug and health plans are sharply increasing costs, warns The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). "Outrage is growing among older voters who question how COLAs can be zero, when their healthcare costs are taking the biggest jump in seven years," says TSCL Chairman, Ed Cates. .Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk … Continued

Although Part D plans are given leeway to vary how they structure their plans here is a breakdown of the standard Medicare Part D plan cost sharing in 2020: .Raising Medicare Age Would Save 500 Billion Dollars .Congressmember Karen Bass is serving her sixth term in Congress. She represents Culver City and parts of Los Angeles. .Social Security is by far and away the nation's most successful and popular insurance program. .The report's release coincided with two days of high-level White House negotiations that President Obama recently held with Senate Democratic and Republican leaders over reducing the federal deficit, ahead of the pressing debt limit deadline. The attractiveness of the proposal is not only the aforementioned enormous savings to the federal government, but the ingenious political cover. The change appears miniscule, the savings to the government low at first, and it's so complicated nobody except a government economist would even claim to understand it. .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." .Just years before they were set to retire, these individuals learned that they would receive significantly lower benefits than originally anticipated. The problem has grown and compounded over time, and TSCL believes that in order to make the program more equitable, some compensation for the injustice should be provided. We enthusiastically support Rep. Meng's Notch Fairness Act, and we were pleased to see one new cosponsor sign on this week. .The plan contained a list of 50 military treatment facilities that would see changes in some way over the next several years in the services they offer. Of those, 37 would stop seeing military family members and retirees altogether. At least 12 states would have more than one treatment facility changed with regard to its mission. .You can also sign a petition to your Members of Congress, find contact information for your Senators and Representatives, and stay updated with the latest news on Capitol Hill.