News

  • Congressional Corner We Cannot Cut Medicare And Medicaid

    As you may have heard, Social Security recipients received a cost-of-living increase this year. This is good news for seniors, but it's not good enough. .For details, or to see if your Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings during this week's recess, call their local offices. You can find contact information HERE. . You are fortunate to already be in a Medicare drug plan that covers Lantus because not all Part D plans do. If your drug plan had been one of the several Medicare Part D plans that doesn't cover Lantus, this drug could cost as much as 0 per 100/ml vial. Many diabetics need about 3 vials per month to control their blood sugar, which would cost more than ,000 over a 12-month period. But since you are in a plan that covers Lantus and presumably the other drugs that you take, here's what to expect when you exhaust 2019's Part D initial coverage limit of ,820 in total drug costs, which includes what both you and your drug plan pays. … Continued

  • National Seniors Group Announces Three Social Security Proposals It Supports Three It Opposes

    Healthcare Debate Continues in Senate .Just how bad is it? We were stunned to learn just how big the disparity in drug prices can be. Recently I compared the highest and lowest prices of the top ten most-prescribed drugs in the U.S. using the Medicare drug plan finder. In my area, a monthly supply of diabetes drug Lantus Solostar for example, ranges from a high of 2.00 from the mail order pharmacy of First Health Part D Value Plus plan to a low of .75 from the network retail pharmacies for SilverScript Choice. In fact, the cost difference between the highest and lowest-cost plans for the ten drugs compared averaged 3 per month! .Action on Capitol Hill was slow this week as Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts to prepare for the November 6th election. They are not expected to return to Capitol Hill until after the Veterans Day holiday, on Tuesday, November 13th. TSCL would like to remind you that many Members of Congress will attend local events or hold town hall meetings in the upcoming weeks, giving voters an excellent opportunity to voice their concerns. We encourage you to approach your Senators and Representatives to request their support for fair cost-of-living adjustments and other key issues. … Continued

Last year, under Shkreli's direction, Turing Pharmaceuticals made headlines for buying the rights to a decades-old anti-infective drug and hiking its price from .50 per pill to 0 per pill. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had tough questions for Turing's representatives at Thursday's hearing, and each of them expressed their dismay for the price gouging that is occurring in the pharmaceutical market. .If you're like most seniors, you probably depend on Social Security for at least half of your income. But how well does the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) protect you from rising costs? TSCL will soon release some answers to this question with the results of its 7th Annual Survey of Senior Costs. In recent years these surveys have indicated that Social Security beneficiaries lose a considerable portion of their buying power — as much as 31 percent — in as little as the first decade of retirement. .Third, the bipartisan CHANGE Act (H.R. 4957) gained one new cosponsor in Representative Ted Lieu (CA-33), bringing the total up to twenty-two. If adopted, the CHANGE Act would promote early identification of Alzheimer's disease, improve support for family caregivers, and provide continuous care for those battling many forms of dementia. .Negotiations thus far seem to be moving slowly, and it remains to be seen whether or not the conferees will reach an agreement before the looming deadline. TSCL will keep a close eye on the evolving negotiations, and we will continue to inform the conferees about the harms that would result from including harsh benefit cuts in a budget package. For updates, visit the Legislative News section of our website. .Improving the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). According to TSCL's research, Social Security benefits have lost over 30 percent of their buying power since 2000 due in large part to inadequate COLAs and rising health care costs. The bipartisan Fair COLA for Seniors Act (H.R. 1553) would improve the annual COLA by adopting the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), which more adequately measures the inflation seniors experience. .The GAO has noted that a totalization agreement may motivate additional unauthorized workers to come to the United States. Similarly, the prospect of an amnesty program passing the Congress in the coming months will likely encourage increased illegal immigration in anticipation of an easy road to U.S. citizenship. .Reducing prescription drug prices is a top issue for older voters. Seventy – two percent of survey participants support a proposal to tie Medicare Part D drugs prices to those paid in other industrialized nations, through the use of an "international drug pricing index" — an approach similar to prescription drug legislation passed by the House (H.R. 3). .Can We Trust Congress After Surprise Social Security Cuts? .Congress This Week