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  • Frequently Asked Questions Faq September 2021

    "Maybe the economic value of the COVID vaccine is a trillion — and even if the expense to the company was a billion, that's 1,000 times return on investment," said Schulman. "No economic theory would support that." .In your book The Hard Times Guide to Retirement Security you say that today's retirees need to "rethink retirement." In what ways do our ideas about retirement need changing? .In 2016 your Part B premium would be 1.80 per month if your family income is under 0,000. (If income is higher beneficiaries pay higher Medicare Part B and Part D premiums.) In addition you will need to decide whether to purchase a Medigap supplement and enroll in a Part D plan for drug coverage, or to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D coverage. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending January 22 2016

    Create a family documentary. Create a family scrap-book with old photos and memorabilia. If you have access to a computer and scanner or a friend with one, scan old photos for a digital family scrapbook you can share online. If a family member is good with making videos, consider doing a mini-documentary. Think of the questions you have about your ancestors and ask yourself the same. Like how you and your spouse met, how your family coped during a particularly hard time, or document a skill or craft that you love. This is also a good way to teach cooking your favorite family foods! Upload the video to YouTube to share with your family and send a link in a holiday email. .Instead, that money has gone into the pockets of the wealthy. Now Republicans want to cut benefits for hard - working Americans. They want to harm the most vulnerable among us, including manufacturing a crisis to put disabled Americans at risk of facing a nearly 20% cut in benefits, even while they provide more tax breaks for the wealthy and for corporations. .Three Ways Congress Can Pay For Notch Reform … Continued

However, MA insurers have already begun taking steps to reduce their costs in order to account for the cuts from CMS. As was noted in last week's legislative update, UnitedHealth – one of the largest MA plan providers – has dropped thousands of doctors from its networks, leaving many seniors doctor-less. It expects its physician network to be 85 percent of its pre-Obamacare size by the end of this year. TSCL is concerned that additional cuts to MA in 2015 will harm beneficiaries in other ways, by driving up premiums and reducing benefits. .58% Of Seniors Worried Their Health Plan Could Be Cancelled .Enrolled in Medicare Advantage? ,700 in Benefit Cuts by 2017 Predicted .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: .If the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) were based on a more accurate measure of inflation for seniors, beneficiaries would not be receiving a record-low 0.3% increase this year. They would be receiving an increase of 2.1% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Do you support legislation that would base the COLA on a more accurate inflation index like the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly? .Benefit reductions due to your age. — Since you were born in 1952, your age for receiving full, unreduced Social Security benefits is 6That holds true for survivors benefits, as well as for your own retirement benefit. So assuming you start benefits in December at age 64, the amount you would receive for starting benefits before your full retirement age will be reduced — almost 10%. (When you start benefits early you get less but you theoretically receive them over a longer period of time.) But that's not the only reduction. .An Alzheimer's diagnosis is life-changing not only for those with the disease, but for their friends, family and loved ones. For caregivers, looking after a parent or spouse with Alzheimer's impacts the entire family, as advanced stages of the disease requires round-the-clock attention. Thanks to the work of groups like the Alzheimer's Association, individuals impacted by Alzheimer's can get the help they need, from advice on caregiving to support groups, navigating the healthcare system and learning about new clinical trials. In September, I participated in an event hosted by the Alzheimer's Association's Greater Illinois Chapter to discuss the rising number of Americans affected by the disease, the escalating costs associated with treating patients, and the important strides clinical research is making today that give us all reason for optimism. These open dialogue and brainstorming sessions are a critical step in the fight against Alzheimer's. .However, current benefits, as we will learn today, are inadequate, unfair, and in many cases discriminatory, because of systemic economic inequities. .This year, Social Security beneficiaries received no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) despite a national survey indicating a majority reported higher costs. Do you support legislation that would give seniors an emergency COLA before the end of this year?