News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending September 28 2012

    The report found similar price disparities in expensive specialty drugs that treat complicated conditions like cancer. .Millions of people, age 65 and older, have very limited incomes, and minimal savings. In 2016, half of all Medicare beneficiaries had incomes less than ,200. A looming question is whether the official measure still provides an accurate picture of poverty. .We will keep a close eye on the evolving discussions in the months ahead, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. … Continued

  • The Advisor Volume 16 May 2011 Feed

    Since he was first elected to Congress in 2010, Congressman Mulvaney – a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus – has been vocal about his support for reforming the Social Security and Medicare programs. In a 2011 interview, he told reporters: "We have to end Medicare as we know it. We have to fix it." He has endorsed several proposals that would privatize the Medicare program by adopting a "premium support" model, and on Tuesday, he endorsed plans to increase means-testing within the program. Both of those proposals are opposed by TSCL since they would result in higher out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries. .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? .The CBO said earlier this year that if the Congress did not take action to address the shortfalls, the balances in the two trust funds would be exhausted within the next 10 years: Medicare's Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund (in fiscal year 2024), and Social Security's Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund (in fiscal year 2026) … Continued

Information about critical issues affecting seniors .Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) introduced S. 569 on March 14, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance. .TSCL has long supported adding vision, dental and hearing benefits to Medicare, as well as supporting legislation to lower prescription drug prices. We are waiting to see what the final bills look like that come out of the House and Senate before we determine what kind of endorsement to give. .Here's something hard to believe, but true. Our government is paying Social Security benefits to thousands of Mexicans who don't live in this country, or were never entitled to benefits based on their own work record. A new report from the Social Security Office of Inspector General details the growing problem of thousands of Mexicans who routinely visit the United States once a month to establish a claim to Social Security benefits. .Even Republicans who support changing the regulations are opposed to putting it in the NDAA and they may support an effort to pass it and try to override the President's veto, which would be the first of his presidency. .What tips do you have for job hunting seniors? .Improving and maintaining access to affordable, lifesaving prescription drugs is a top concern for TSCL's supporters, most of whom live on fixed incomes and cannot afford steep and sudden cost increases. .Based on projections in the Trustees Report, Social Security beneficiaries should expect to see a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) between 2.4 percent and 3.0 percent in 201Medicare Part B premiums will likely increase by around .50 next year, so the typical beneficiary will pay 5.50 per month. If the estimates from the Trustees are correct, most Social Security beneficiaries will see modest increases in their net Social Security benefits next year after Part B premiums are deducted. .New legislation before the House and Senate would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) so that public servants receive the Social Security benefits they have earned and deserve. Will you cosponsor the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 521, H.R. 141) when you return to Washington on Monday?