News
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Will Immigration Reform Put Illegal Immigrants On Path To Social Security
Johnson says that the federal government is looking at the wrong market basket to determine the annual change in prices in the goods and services used by retired and disabled Americans. According to Johnson, had the government used a more appropriate inflation index that measures costs experienced by people age 62 and older, the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), retirees would get a COLA of 2.1 percent instead of 0.3 percent in 201"But instead, the COLA is based on the increased price of goods normally purchased by younger working adults," she notes. .It is anticipated that one of the orders will be to shift drug and medical production to this country by suddenly cutting off federal agencies from those offshore supply chains. .In 2013 the Social Security Office of the Actuary released an actuarial note regarding providing information of the effects of unauthorized immigration on the status of the Social Security Trust Funds. The Office of the Actuary stated that it has difficulty "in determining what portion of taxes paid to and benefits received from the Social Security Trust Fund are derived from the earnings of immigrants working without authorization." The obtuse note was frustrating to dissect as there was no discussion on the reasoning behind assumptions and there was no attempt to estimate the long-term cost in Social Security benefits of unauthorized work. Here are some eye-opening points that the Office of the Actuary did provide: … Continued
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Congressional Corner Promises Made To Seniors Must Be Kept
How much are you over-paying for your prescription drugs? The only way to find out is to do a drug plan comparison based on all the drugs you take. This is the time of year you can make changes during the Medicare Open Enrollment period, which runs through the month of November and ends December 7th. Give the Medicare Drug Plan Finder a try. You can get free one-on-one counseling by contacting your local Area on Aging, State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) or senior centers and ask for help comparing Medicare drug plans. .Since 2000, cost-of-living-adjustments (COLAs) increased Social Security benefits a total of just 43 percent. Meanwhile typical senior expenses have jumped 86 percent, according to TSCL's 2017 Loss of Buying Power Study. The following table illustrates ten of the fastest growing costs since 2000. .At the same time, new claims for Social Security benefits are growing, as many older workers who have lost jobs file for Social Security benefits earlier than planned. The combined impact increases pressure on Social Security to address solvency issues. A future solvency option supported by more than 72 percent of The Senior Citizens League's survey participants is to apply the Social Security payroll tax to all earnings, instead of just the first 7,700 in wages. The survey was conducted from mid - January through April of this year. … Continued
The Foundation for Sight and Sound. Through its Help America Hear Program the foundation provides hearing aids for people with limited financial resources. To learn if you qualify, visit: Help America Hear Program or call 631-366-3461. .How have you been affected by COVID-19? Share your story with us at . .In recent years the Earnings Suspense File has been growing at an unprecedented pace. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, Russ Knocke, was recently quoted as saying that, last year, as many as 10% of the wage reports received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) belonged to employees whose name and Social Security number did not match those of SSA. .In the meantime, TSCL would like to remind you that many Senators and Representatives will attend local events or schedule town hall meetings while they are in their home states and districts, giving constituents an excellent opportunity to voice their concerns. We encourage you to approach your Members of Congress and request their support for fair cost-of-living adjustments, Notch fairness, a permanent "doc fix," and other key issues. .Five years after IPAB's creation, it still has no appointed members and, due to record-low growth in healthcare costs, it hasn't been triggered to make recommendations to Congress yet. Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, says she doesn't expect it to be triggered until 201But hundreds of lawmakers have serious concerns about the prospect of the board since it would be comprised of unelected and unaccountable appointees. They are hoping to pass legislation that would do away with it by the end of this year. .Paula's total premium costs came to 2.90 per month for the rest of 2007 rather than 0 per month, a savings of .10 per month in premiums alone. In addition, because she found a more appropriate drug plan, she will save an estimated additional .25 per month in drug costs in 2007. .Ticket to ride. If you still drive, consider issuing "Tickets to Ride" to friends or family members who don't drive any more. Type or hand letter tickets on colorful construction paper. Offer rides to doctor visits, stores, or even to visit out-of-town friends and relatives. If you are handy with the computer and want fancier artwork, do an online search for "free ticket artwork." You can find a number of free images that you can copy for your own use. .Two bills that would provide for coverage of dental services under the Medicare program were introduced in Congress last week. H.R.502, authored by Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-Calif.) has been introduced in the House of Representatives, while S.97, authored by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) has been introduced in the Senate. . With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors' groups. 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 The Retired Enlisted Association. Visit for more information.