News
-
Video Night In America Tscl Visits Capitol Hill
Many in Congress have been outspoken about the potential cuts. Last week, a bipartisan group of forty Senators sent a letter to CMS urging administrators to maintain current payment rates in order to protect seniors from potential benefit disruptions. TSCL has also been expressing its concerns to lawmakers, and we will continue to keep a close eye on the issue in the coming weeks. For updates, visit the Legislative News section of our website. .This week, the House of Representatives was scheduled to consider legislation which would repeal the health care reform law. However, due to the tragic shooting in Arizona over the weekend—which left six people dead, eleven wounded, and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8) clinging to life—the House schedule was cleared. .The Senior Citizens League is proud to endorse these three bipartisan bills and, in the months ahead, we will urge lawmakers to sign them into law. For frequent progress updates on these bills and the work of the Senate Finance and House Oversight Committees, follow TSCL on Twitter or visit the Legislative News section of our website. Additionally, you can share your story about rising prescription drug prices with our team right here. … Continued
-
58 Of Seniors Worried Their Health Plan Could Be Cancelled
The Senior Citizens League was disappointed that the President did not comment on Social Security or Medicare during his State of the Union address, but we were pleased that he spoke about the need to reduce prescription drug prices. The President said he was proud to have helped improve "access to breakthrough cures and affordable generic drugs" by speeding up the FDA approvals process last year. That move could increase competition and bring down prices by encouraging generics to enter the market more quickly. .This week, lawmakers in the House and Senate adjourned for a week-long holiday recess. They are expected to return to Washington on Tuesday, June 5th. In the meantime, many Members of Congress will be attending local events or hosting town hall meetings in their home states and districts. .Medicare Part D is a rip off. My wife and I will pay more for our medication now, because we cannot afford to take the risk of not enrolling. We were getting most of our drugs from Canada, but under Part D we not only have to pay a monthly premium, but also have co-pays, plus much higher prices for our medication to meet the deductible or if we hit the doughnut hole. Forcing us to do this is simply not fair. What happened to the legislation to legalize the importation of drugs from Canada? … Continued
Generally, retirement planners say that to maintain their current standard of living, retirees need to replace 70 percent of their pre-retirement earnings. However, with recent hits to personal savings and 401(k) balances, households are struggling with an erosion in the value of their retirement savings. Also, while workers may plan to retire at a certain age, their retirement decisions are often subject to circumstances outside of their control. A study conducted by McKinsey & Company found that roughly half of all workers who retired earlier than they planned cited health reasons or needing to care for a family member; the other half cited job loss. .Some Members of Congress are calling for Congress to strike a deficit reduction deal of their own. Although gridlock may occur and would hardly be surprising, TSCL remains adamantly opposed to a key proposal that would change the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) calculation. The proposal, which would affect not only future retirees but ALL retirees, would switch to a more slowly-growing consumer price index known as the "chained" CPI to calculate the annual COLA. This proposal that would reduce the lifetime Social Security income of seniors by potentially tens of thousands of dollars is one of the few areas of agreement between both Democrat and Republican negotiators. TSCL also strongly opposes proposals that would increase what seniors have to pay for the Medicare benefits. .Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts to continue the summer recess this week. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, September 6th. In the meantime, most Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings in their home states and districts, presenting constituents with excellent opportunities to have their most pressing questions answered. TSCL encourages its members and supporters to attend these events and to voice their concerns about important Social Security and Medicare issues like inadequate cost-of-living adjustments and skyrocketing prescription drug prices. .I know from meeting with friends and neighbors across my district that Americans are ready for the truth. They are ready for solutions. And they are ready for leadership. We must not be afraid to speak – and act – boldly on their behalf. .TSCL would like to remind you to contact your Members of Congress while they are still in their home states and districts. Many Senators and Representatives will attend local events or hold town hall meetings this weekend, giving voters an excellent opportunity to have their questions and concerns addressed. We encourage you to contact your Members of Congress to request their support for fair cost-of-living adjustments, Notch fairness, and other key issues. .This week, lawmakers passed a temporary spending bill just hours before a government shutdown was set to occur. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for one new bill, and one piece of legislation gained critical new support. .Lawmakers Approve Temporary Spending Bill .Under the cuts, House members have seen 948 fewer salaried positions in their offices. The 2012 budget calls for an additional 6.4 percent reduction and more cuts to Congressional staffs and office supplies. .With the Medicare physician payment "doc fix" scheduled to cease at the end of February, lawmakers remain divided on where the funding will come from to extend the current level of payments to doctors. If the current "doc fix" expires, physicians' reimbursements will be reduced by a 27 percent rate.