News

  • Legislative Update Week Ending December 9 2016

    In the past five years the annual adjustment has averaged just 1.4 percent — less than half the 3 percent average of the prior two decades starting in 1990. Retirees and disabled Social Security recipients are reporting that the COLA is doing a poor job of what it's intended to do — protecting the buying power of their Social Security benefits. According to an annual survey performed by TSCL, Social Security benefits have lost 31 percent of their buying power since 2000. . Mary: How does "anchoring" impact our decision-making? .This week, The Senior Citizens League was pleased to see support grow for two key bills that would improve retirement security in America if adopted. … Continued

  • S 2382 Fair Raises For Seniors Act

    Alexandria, VA - August 11, 2012 -- Low-income seniors on Medicare who also receive Medicaid services should be vigilant in checking their health plans in the coming months. This advice comes from the Senior Citizens League (TSCL), one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Tests are underway in up to 26 states to move as many as 3 million "dual eligibles" — people who receive both Medicare and Medicaid — into managed-care health plans. The object is to improve healthcare and lower government spending. .Canada's order will not prevent Americans from crossing the border to buy cheaper drugs; it doesn't affect sales made by brick and mortar pharmacies, according to a fact sheet released by the Canadian government. .USA TODAY … Continued

Did Members of Congress receive a COLA this year? If so did they get more than the 3.6% that seniors received? Is it true they don't pay into Social Security? .Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated earlier this week, "What I hope to be able to do is keep the government open, to avoid a government shutdown, to do no harm, and to be as boring as possible." The House planned to vote on a package that would simply extend current funding levels through mid-December on Thursday, and the Senate was set on taking it up next week. .The Medicare Hospital Trust Fund is Running Out of Money .Senate Subcommittee Considers Family Leave Proposal .But for more than two months, state inspectors failed to enter half the country's homes — a revelation that prompted CMS to crack down. .The Inspector General's Office recently surveyed 4 field Social Security field offices along the border with Mexico in California and Texas. Each office provided services to about 1,000 such beneficiaries every month. Personnel say the number is increasing for three reasons: .Advocates for less government involvement in health care and instead letting the free market have a stronger role base their arguments on the idea that just like groceries or cars or clothes, consumers should be able to shop around and look for the best value in health care. .However, if a waiver would have been included in the Covid relief bill Senate rules would have required there that 60 votes in favor of passage would be needed instead of a simple majority of 51. .The study examined the increase in costs of 40 key items between 2000 and January 2020. The items were chosen because they are typical of the costs of most Social Security recipients, and include expenditures, like the Medicare Part B premium, that are not measured by the index currently used to calculate the COLA. Of the 40 items analyzed, 26 exceeded the COLA over the same period while 14 were lower than the COLA.