News

  • Social Security Medicare Questions January 2014

    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. .We worked with members of Congress who supported ending the practice, although we were unable to get legislation passed. One of our key allies in the fight was Sen. Lamar Alexander (R- Tenn.). He was a champion of our cause but, unfortunately, he is retiring at the end of this year. We will certainly miss his leadership on the issue but we pledge to continue to fight to end the practice in 2021. .Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced earlier this year that he wants to overhaul entitlement spending. TSCL is concerned that, after the elections, Congress could address rising deficits by moving legislation that would cut Social Security benefits. … Continued

  • Ask The Advisor February 2012

    One paid family leave proposal discussed at Wednesday's hearing would negatively impact the future of the Social Security program if adopted. It would allow parents to claim up to 12 weeks of early Social Security benefits as a form of paid family leave following the birth or adoption of a child. To offset the cost, individuals would be required to delay the collection of their Social Security benefits in retirement. Those who take twelve weeks of paid family leave would see their full eligibility ages in retirement increase by as much as twenty-five weeks. .According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), for a person who retired at age 65 with average wages, a maximum benefit disparity of 10% would have arisen between the highest benefit under the old rules and the lowest benefit under the new rules if the 1977 assumptions had materialized. Under the economic conditions that actually arose, the disparity was 25% (6). .Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its warning for cruise travel for the first time since several outbreaks on ships brought the industry to a halt last year. … Continued

What is the purpose of this test? —Is the test being ordered for a possible (asymptomatic) disorder when you have no symptoms or clear sign of disease? Or, is it needed to confirm a suspected diagnosis? .In fact, when the COLA increases since 2000 are compared with the typical cost increases that retirees experienced over the same period, Social Security benefits have lost 34% of their buying power. COLAs increased benefits a total of 46 percent, while typical senior expenses have jumped 96.3 percent between 2000 through the first week of 201To put it in perspective, for every 0 worth of groceries a retiree household could afford in 2000, they can only buy worth today. .Totalization Agreement .Our legislative team was pleased to see the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act advance out of the Ways and Means Committee this week, and we will be sure to monitor its progress as it moves to the House floor. Leaders expect it to be taken up during the week of June 15th, and it is expected to pass there with bipartisan support as well. For updates on the status of H.R. 1190, visit the Legislative News section of our website. .Call on your Member of Congress and urge them to sign on in support of the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act, and in doing so stand up for millions of American seniors who depend on their access to their doctors and healthcare providers for everyday and lifesaving care. ."Social Security benefits simply are not adequate when people with a Social Security benefit of even as much as ,288 per month are at risk of having their entire COLA used to cover rising Part B premiums," says Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. "That is what happened in 2018, and that left nothing to cover all other rising household costs," Johnson explains. .Source: Fiscal Year 2010 Inspector General Statement, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, November 2010. .In coming years, growing program cost pressures could mean that some illegals may benefit from the use of invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers at the expense of others who worked and paid into the system legally. TSCL's new 2014 Senior Survey found that 87 percent of respondents favor prohibiting payment of Social Security benefits calculated on earnings from unauthorized work by illegal immigrants. TSCL supports legislation that would prohibit earnings under invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers from use in determining entitlement to Social Security benefits. .What is the range of the Notch years?