News

  • H R 818 Preventing Reducing Improper Medicare Medicaid Expenditures Prime Act

    This week, the Ways and Means Committee advanced a bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw one key bills gain support. .Canada's order will not prevent Americans from crossing the border to buy cheaper drugs; it doesn't affect sales made by brick and mortar pharmacies, according to a fact sheet released by the Canadian government. .Require new deductibles and cost-sharing while limiting what Medigap plans could cover. Because Medicare doesn't cover all of the costs, seniors purchase supplemental coverage, known as "Medigap," to cover deductibles, and co-insurance. A proposal from President Obama's Fiscal Commission would impose a new deductible of 0 and new cost-sharing. Then, it would restrict what Medigap plans could cover, adding up to ,000 in new out-of-pocket costs that the more comprehensive Medigap plans cover now. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending April 26 2019

    The Senior Citizens League encourages its supporters to attend these events and to ask important questions of their elected officials, like the following three… .In February, after lawmakers allowed two government shutdowns to briefly take effect, Members of Congress finally passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 201The massive budget deal set spending levels for two years and lifted the debt ceiling through March of next year. It came as a surprise to many in Washington – including The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) – and the agreement put an end to cycles of funding extensions that temporarily and irresponsibly funded the federal government for years. .Prior to being elected to Congress in 2010, I spent the past 15 years as a practicing cardiothoracic surgeon. As a physician, I always put patients first. Now, as a Congressman, I maintain that same philosophy. Some of the most important decisions in your life regard your health and well-being. I know from firsthand experience that those decisions should be left up to you, your family, and your doctor. … Continued

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. .Use of a consumer price index (CPI) that does not reflect the costs experienced by retirees to calculate the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) suppresses the amount of lifetime Social Security income received. It reduces your Social Security benefit payments by thousands of dollars over the course of a retirement. .One-out-of-five people who participated in TSCL Senior Survey spend more than 0.00 per month out-of-pocket on prescription drugs. That's an enormous amount, considering the average Social Security benefit is just ,460.00 per month. But even if you only take generics, or your Medicare drug or health plan premium goes down, this does not mean that your 2020 Medicare plan's drug coverage costs will also decrease. Your Medicare drug plan's prescription coverage – including which drugs are covered by your plan, and the cost, usually changes every year. .In coming years, growing program cost pressures could mean that some illegals may benefit from the use of invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers at the expense of others who worked and paid into the system legally. TSCL's new 2014 Senior Survey found that 87 percent of respondents favor prohibiting payment of Social Security benefits calculated on earnings from unauthorized work by illegal immigrants. TSCL supports legislation that would prohibit earnings under invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers from use in determining entitlement to Social Security benefits. .Oxford's study, however, found that the vaccine not only prevented severe disease but appeared to cut transmission of the virus by two-thirds. The study has not been peer-reviewed yet. .To learn how you can get involved visit . .The Senior Citizens League enthusiastically supports the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act and the Social Security Fairness Act, and we were pleased to see them gain new cosponsors this week. In the months ahead, we will continue to advocate for their passage on Capitol Hill. For progress updates, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. .In fact, your best bet, and one that could help you save hundreds of dollars on your health insurance costs, is to get the unbiased advice of a trained Medicare benefits counselor through your state Health Insurance Assistance Program. The program provides free one-on-one local health insurance counseling through many local Area Agencies on Aging. To find the agency nearest you, consult your phone book or The Eldercare Locator. You may find the information resources at www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare/Public/Home.asp or you may speak to an Eldercare Locator information specialist by calling toll-free at 1-800-677-1116 weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET). .Mail order can also help you save if your drug plan is increasing co-pays or drug costs, dropping coverage or making similar changes for 201Orders placed by December 31, 2011 will be filled by your 2011 drug plan mail order pharmacy, and covered at the costs when you place your order your prescription in December.