News

  • Q August 2018

    The legislation is called a "CR" - a continuing resolution, which means the government will be funded for a short period of time and for the most part it will be at the same funding levels as in fiscal year 201The CR will last until Nov. 21 at which time one of three things must have happened. Either they will have finally passed all the funding bills needed for the rest of the fiscal year; or they will have passed another CR; or we will have another government shut-down. .Obamacare is not the first government program in which major implementation glitches had disastrous consequences for large numbers of beneficiaries. In 1977 changes that Congress made to the Social Security benefit formula created a major inequity in benefits that cost retirees tens of thousands of dollars in Social Security benefits over their lifetimes. The seniors affected are among the oldest and most vulnerable today. Born during 1917 through 1926, and known as "Notch Babies," they received substantially lower benefits than other seniors close to them in age with almost identical work and earnings records. The name refers to the plunging "V" notch when benefits of Notch Babies are charted on a graph. .Medicare Advantage plans contract with Medicare to provide all basic Medicare services, and plans receive monthly lump sum payments that cover expected costs for an average Medicare beneficiary. But officials have known for years that some Medicare Advantage plans overbill the government by exaggerating how sick their patients are, or by charging Medicare for treating serious medical conditions that they cannot prove that patients have. Audits of 37 health plans revealed that, on average, auditors could confirm only 60% of the more than 20,000 medical conditions that CMS paid plans to treat. … Continued

  • Ask The Advisor May 2016

    I don't have dental insurance and pay out of pocket. I know I will need to get some expensive work done at some point in the next year or two. Is dental insurance worth the cost? How do you go about getting a good dental plan? .(Washington, DC) A new analysis from The Senior Citizens League takes a look at what the Social Security Trust Fund might collect in payroll tax revenues from just a few of the highest paid U.S. workers. "In a sampling of just 20 CEOs from the Fortune top 80 companies, the analysis found that total base salaries and performance pay not currently taxed for Social Security is expected to total 1.5 million in 2018, averaging more than million per CEO sampled," stated Mary Johnson, a Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. .Medicare supplemental or Medigap policies tend to charge higher premiums, but cover most or all of the co-insurance costs for brief hospitalizations or doctor visits and other Medicare covered services. Medicare Advantage plans generally work in just the opposite fashion. Currently premiums are very low, but there could be considerable out-of-pocket co-payment costs should you require health care services. … Continued

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. .First, one new cosponsor – Representative Conor Lamb (PA-18) – signed on to the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 1902), bringing the total up to 17If adopted, H.R. 1902 would strengthen Social Security benefits by improving the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), increasing monthly benefits by 2 percent, creating a new Special Minimum Benefit equal to 125 percent of the poverty line, and providing a tax cut to millions of Social Security beneficiaries. To cover the cost of these changes and to extend the solvency of the program through the year 2100, it would apply the payroll tax to annual income over 0,000 and gradually increase the payroll tax rate by 0.25 percent. .The letter that TSCL delivered to congressional leaders this week urged lawmakers to begin immediate discussions about lifting the debt limit and preventing a default on the federal debt. Art Cooper – Chairman of TSCL's Board of Trustees – wrote: "Our supporters nation-wide hope you will act swiftly and responsibly to avert delays in Social Security benefits and payments to Medicare providers, and they will not tolerate additional cuts to their earned Social Security benefits." .This week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report on the nation's long term budget outlook, and Doug Elmendorf – CBO's Director – met with the House Budget Committee on Wednesday to discuss the findings. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw three key bills gain critical support. .However, the ACA, also known as "Obamacare", already requires health insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. We are not sure why The President said what he did, except that his administration is in court trying to have the ACA declared unconstitutional, and maybe he anticipates a need for his order. .Medicare's Fall Open Enrollment Period started on October 15th and will run through December 7th. For the past 14 years, I have volunteered to help neighbors and friends learn about changes in their current Part D prescription drug or Medicare Advantage coverage during this period. We compare options, track down the lowest costing plans and pharmacies, and often switch to a lower-costing plan when there's a better deal. .Finally, one new cosponsor – Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT) – signed on to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act (S. 99), bringing the cosponsor total up to eight. If adopted, this bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare Part D beneficiaries. .Millions of Seniors Are Losing Benefits .Budget Cuts Taking Toll on Congressional Staffs