News

  • Ask The Advisor January 2011 Advisor

    But here's the real kicker. A statute of limitation loophole is hamstringing Medicare from recovering overpayments. Federal law allows a Medicare claims contractor to reopen a payment determination for "good cause" at any time within 4 years of the date the original payment determination was made. But another provision of law bars the recovery of overpayments from providers that are "without fault." And the law states that a provider is deemed to be without fault 3 years after the year in which the original payment was made unless there is "evidence to the contrary." .The irony is that when Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) because Senate Majority Leader in 2015 he said the Senate must return to "regular order," which means getting its work done in an orderly fashion and on time. .Social Security and Medicare are the targets of a growing number of new budget plans aimed at reducing federal spending. President Obama's Fiscal Commission recently voted 11-7 to cut Social Security benefits for all seniors, and require beneficiaries to pay substantially more for their Medicare. … Continued

  • Advisor Asks July 2018

    Support Grows for Key Bill .This week, lawmakers released the text of legislation that will comprehensively reform the tax code if adopted, and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) delivered letters to Capitol Hill outlining three tax-related changes that would strengthen the Social Security program. In addition, TSCL endorsed two new bills that would reduce prescription drug costs, and several key bills gained support. .Here's how this scam works: Crooks target low-income Medicare beneficiaries to persuade them to participate. Your brother-in law may have been asked, or even coerced, into "selling" his Medicare card number and signing weekly or monthly papers to verify that home healthcare services were rendered (even if they weren't.) In exchange, he may have received the TV as a one-time payment. … Continued

This week, discussions to fund the federal government past September 30th – the end of the fiscal year – seemed to stall. Leaders in the House and Senate told reporters last week that they planned to take up a short-term continuing resolution (CR) by September 21st. However, this week, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said many important details remain up in the air, and the timeline has shifted. .Not surprisingly, TSCL surveys and email indicated that although Medicare costs continued to grow from 2010 to 2011, many seniors were forced to cut back and forego healthcare services. This undoubtedly was a major reason why government spending on Medicare remained relatively flat. The following table illustrates responses to a question from the TSCL 2011 Healthcare Cost Survey conducted in October 2011: .The announcement of the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the following year is like watching Charlie Brown trying to kick a football. Charlie Brown, our beloved cartoon character by Charles Schultz, gets talked into kicking off a football by the diabolical Lucy. Just as Charlie runs up to the football. Social Security Announces 1.3% COLA For 2021, One of Lowest Ever Paid Social Security recipients will receive an annual inflation boost of just 1.3% in 202The increase is so small, it's one of the lowest on record. The 2021 cost of living adjustment (COLA) will increase the average retiree ,523 benefit by about per month to ,54That increase is expected to be significantly offset,. An Emergency 2.5% COLA Could Add ,000 To Your Social Security Income Over the First Ten Years , editor .With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors' groups. Its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and to protect and defend the benefits senior citizens have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association. Visit for more information. .The legislative proposal also does not specify whether the locality pay adjustment would be applied in addition to the COLA or used instead of a COLA. If the intention is to add a second adjustment in addition to the COLA my guess is that many retirees would welcome the additional boost. Should the proposal be intended to replace the COLA that brings a higher level of uncertainty to the annual adjustments than we already experience. For people who live in areas where private sector pay is on an even level with federal pay or lower, those retirees may wind up with little or no locality pay adjustment, perhaps over the course of many years. .We could, too, but would need to consider mechanisms outside of our current box — at least for this national emergency. .The potential cost in benefits based on illegal work is substantial. Failure to address this inconsistency of law could result in newly legalized immigrants receiving benefits for earnings received while breaking U.S. laws, at the same time U.S. workers and senior citizens who paid into the system legally over their entire careers receive benefit cuts and higher taxes. .However, there is news of importance to seniors that hasn't gotten nearly as much attention. .In the coming weeks, TSCL will continue to monitor the "myRA" and immigration reform issues that President Obama spoke about on Tuesday evening. We will provide updates here in the Legislative News section of our website as more details become available.