News

  • Benefit Bulletin May 2014

    The goal is to prevent fraud and combat identity theft by removing the Social Security numbers. Fraud And Abuse Are Costing Medicare — (And You Too!) The federal government made more than billion in erroneous payments to Medicare Advantage health plans last year. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently testified that nearly 10% of payments to Medicare Advantage plans were improper. Those improper payments are driving up costs not only for Medicare, but also for every person in Medicare Part B. Government To Issue New Medicare Cards Watch Out For Scams! .William told TSCL this week: "Senior citizens have the most to lose because they are by far the largest population of people who find themselves in need of costly in-home or nursing home care. For Congress not to be concerned with the catastrophic effect this would cause is cruel and unusual indifference to elderly and disabled Americans." .To learn more and participate in surveys visit . … Continued

  • Legislative Update October 2012

    Two Bills Gain New Cosponsors .Senator Sanders said at the hearing: "Constituents are sick and tired of getting ripped off by drug companies and paying the highest prices in the world … The real issue is whether Congress has the guts to take on the powerful pharmaceutical industry." .Tax Reform Legislation Introduced in House … Continued

As outrageous as it is, there are reports of scams involving phony appointments for the COVID vaccine. People have received emails, phone calls or text messages supposedly from local health departments offering to put them on a vaccine registration list that doesn't really exist and then charging them for appointments. .Sen. Conrad's budget proposal is expected to spur serious negotiations on a long-term solution, but it is not expected to win passage. In fact, the Senate will not even vote on or make amendments to the proposal. Sen. Conrad has said that "the timing is not yet right" for a vote, but most have blamed Majority Leader Reid (NV) for refusing to bring a budget proposal to the floor in the midst of an election year. Many Senators, it seems, are beginning to look at the post-election, lame-duck session as the prime opportunity to tackle the deficit. As Sen. Conrad said this week, "That may be the only time members on both sides of the aisle will be willing to move off their fixed positions." TSCL will continue to monitor these negotiations in the meantime. .How many members does TSCL have? .It pays to compare your options, but you need to do this soon, before the Medicare Open Enrollment period ends December 7th. For help shopping for a new drug or health plan locate Medicare benefit counselors in your area. Visit the State Health Insurance Program website — https://www.shiptacenter.org. .The Notch years are 1917 through 1926, but this is subject to some controversy. To read more detail, click here: What is the "Notch"? .Congress Adjourns for Thanksgiving Break .With reconciliation, Democrats can pass a bill without any Republican votes so they are hoping to get a much more comprehensive bill than the Grassley-Wyden one. .For example, the CMF report offers suggestions on how House member offices can most effectively absorb additional cuts. Most notably, these include salary freezes, a potential shift to increased e-mail use over traditional mail, and limited travel expenses to district functions. .Shop around regularly. You can save hundreds of dollars a year in premiums by shopping around. Some state insurance department websites publish rate comparisons for standardized coverage that can help you find the best deals. Another way to compare is to shop from an independent insurance agent who sells from multiple carriers. You can also try online sites like Insure.com, NetQuote.com and SelectQuote.com. When considering a less expensive insurer, consider getting auto coverage from the same company for savings of up to 30 percent.