News

  • 2015 Legislative Update For Week Ending October 31 2015

    We have reported several times in the last few weeks on President Trump's promised 0 drug discount card for seniors. .Medicare Advantage plans combine both parts of Medicare, and the health plans are required to cover everything that is covered under original Medicare. However, your provider may be reporting your doctor's orders to your Medicare Advantage plan in order to get prior authorization for your CT scan. Most Medicare Advantage plans routinely require prior authorization to manage your care and to prevent excess use of care that has not been documented as medically necessary. This practice protects you from surprise bills, and confirms that the provider is authorized to bill your Medicare Advantage plans for your care. .Alexandria, VHow much will the Social Security cost – of – living adjustment (COLA) boost your benefits? "Probably not enough to prevent a loss of benefit buying power," says Ed Cates, Chairman of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The Social Security Administration recently announced that beneficiaries would receive a 1.7 percent COLA effective January 2015, making the sixth consecutive year of exceptionally low growth in benefits. With the average Social Security payment hovering around ,200 per month, the COLA would boost benefits by around .00. … Continued

  • Legislative Update December 2019

    That's because COLAs are currently based upon the way young, urban workers, rather than seniors spend their money. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses an inflation index called the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). It regularly underestimates the spending inflation that seniors experience since it fails to capture the rising costs of medical care, upon which older Americans spend a disproportionate share of their income. .Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse – Eliminating inefficiencies within Social Security and Medicare. .This week, one new cosponsor – Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) – signed on to Rep. Grace Meng's (NY-6) Notch Fairness Act (H.R. 314), bringing the total up to twelve. If signed into law, H.R. 314 would provide modest compensation to victims of the Social Security Notch, or those who were born between 1917 and 1926. … Continued

The amount of the credit will increase for many taxpayers. ."We've always known that vaccines are very important to our overall health," reported Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer's Association. "And maybe they even contribute to protecting our memory, our cognition, our brain." .Support Grows for Social Security Fairness Act .Those born during the Notch period "saved Social Security" by receiving lower benefits for the rest of their lives. They are the generation that fought and sacrificed during World War II. Now, although they receive lower benefits, they are among the senior age group hit hardest by escalating health care insurance premiums and prescription drug costs. .Now there are ads in various parts of the country being run by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, accusing House Republicans of doing the bidding of drug industry donors by opposing the bill. Unremarked upon are the House Democrats who've also received money from the industry — and whose opposition is seen as potentially fatal to the legislation. .TSCL offers its supporters an unconditional refund of their most recent donation if they are dissatisfied with our position or performance. .There was also a bipartisan proposal from Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) that gained support in the Senate but it did not include price negotiation, and again, McConnell refused to bring the bill to the floor in an election year. .Tax legislation enacted at the end of last year makes significant changes that touch virtually all taxpayers. While most of the new provisions have consequences for the 2018 tax year and thereafter, there are at least a few things that pertain to the 2017 tax returns of older taxpayers. (Remember, as always, nothing in this newsletter constitutes legal or tax advice. Please consult tax advisors with your tax questions and for assistance in making decisions.) .Now that Congress has passed President Biden's Covid-19 relief bill it must turn its attention immediately to passing legislation to delay billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare.