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  • Category Issues Social Security Faqs Page 6

    New regulatory threats, some at the urging of the pharmaceutical industry, could make it impossible for seniors to purchase certain products like vitamins and minerals without a prescription. It may sound outrageous, but seniors could soon be limited in their access to things as simple as protein shakes, vegetable juice and even herbal hand lotion without a prescription. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently began imposing new regulations on products used in "Complementary and Alternative Medicine" (CAM). TSCL is concerned the expensive federal regulations will restrict seniors' access to commonly available items and drive up costs for those that remain on the market. .How would seniors go about improving Social Security's financing in the future? A clear majority, 67% strongly agree that it would be fair to require workers to pay Social Security taxes on all of their income rather than letting some pay nothing on income over 0,000. More than 42% strongly agree that with Americans living longer, it would be fair to raise the age for full retirement very gradually, by two months per year to age 69 for people who are age 49 and younger. TSCL was inundated with email comments, and what you're saying should give incumbents pause. ."Brand-name drugs are the primary driver of the higher prescription drug prices in the U.S.," report co-author Andrew Mulcahy said in a press release. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending December 26 2014

    TSCL would like to thank Reps. Mike McIntyre (NC-7), G.K. Butterfield (NC-1), and Charles Gonzalez (TX-20) for taking the time to discuss the issues that are most important to our members and supporters. TSCL also met with Jeremy House, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Butterfield, Conrad Risher, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Gonzalez, Tommy Walker, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1), Rebecca Shaw, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Chris Gibson (NY-20), and Nathaniel Ferguson, Legislative Assistant to Rep. Scott Rigell (VA-2). ., Editor .On Thursday – seven years to the day that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law – lawmakers in the House were scheduled to vote on the AHCA. However, lacking the 218 votes needed to win passage, leaders postponed the vote. After last-minute changes were made to the text – including a repeal of the ACA's "essential health benefits" requirement – President Trump demanded a Friday vote. … Continued

Many seniors can save substantially on drug costs by using mail order, and it's worth looking into. Be sure to use your drug plan's "preferred provider" mail order service. If you go outside of your drug plan's mail order network, your plan may not cover your drugs. .According to a report in BGov News, "… younger seniors have shown a greater appetite for vaccines than their older peers. Initially, the opposite was true, as governments sent inoculation teams into nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Recently, the numbers have flipped, adding support to the idea that some elderly residents -- especially those outside structured-living arrangements -- are simply having trouble navigating the system." .Get prescriptions from your veterinarian for medications: When your vet prescribes antibiotics or any other drug, don't automatically buy all the pills from the veterinary practice. Ask for a prescription. Often, you can get a cheaper price from your pharmacist instead, so check first. You can get a pet medication discount card from Costco, CVS, Rite-Aide, Walgreen's and Walmart. Compare prices with reputable online companies as well. .Supplements and vitamins: Have you ever been surprised by a recommendation to put your dog on pet glucosamine or another joint supplement? Prices for these supplements at the vet can be up to 30% more than ordering these supplements online. Compare these prices at pet supply websites. .However, a new analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center was just released that has its own updated forecast that includes the effects of the pandemic. .Almost 4 million retired Notch Babies, spouses and their survivors would benefit from this modest old age boost that TSCL estimates would cost about .5 billion. .GAO found that many individuals do not fully understand that their benefits will continue to grow the longer they wait to collect them. In addition, GAO found that many field offices are not consistently providing the information individuals need to make informed decisions. As a result, many older Americans may begin collecting Social Security benefits earlier than necessary without knowing the financial consequences. .When asked whether you prefer to get your Social Security benefits directly deposited electronically to bank accounts or received by mail, 9 percent of seniors still prefer receiving checks. .According to the results, TSCL's members and supporters would prefer to see a more permanent solution. Forty-eight percent of respondents said the DI program should tighten its eligibility requirements and conduct more continuing disability reviews to reduce fraud, and 51 percent said high wage earners should be required to pay Social Security taxes on all of their incomes.