News

  • Legislative Update For The Week Ending October 7 2011

    Many social and economic factors work against women who are family caregivers and mothers that can lower their Social Security benefits. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) believes that lawmakers can and should be doing more to improve this. .The third piece of legislation they should pass is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 202It has always been considered to be "must pass" legislation because it authorizes so many things for the military, including pay. But as we reported last week, President Trump has threatened to veto the bill because it doesn't contain a measure that he wants passed having to do with the regulations of social media like Twitter and Facebook. .House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced earlier this month that the House will soon take up surprise billing legislation. TSCL waits with anticipation on legislation to end surprise billing practices as it is something we support and want to see stopped at the hospital doors. … Continued

  • Benefit Bulletin June 2015

    The issue of physician choice and access to care for Medicare recipients arises time and again as Congress has taken last minute action to prevent drastic cuts to physician reimbursements. Only repeated, last-minute actions have saved doctors from substantial pay cuts. Cutting reimbursements for doctors has surface appeal because it does not require seniors to pay additional dollars out-of-pocket. However, there is a hidden cost. Physicians who live under constant fear of substantial cuts may opt to stop serving Medicare patients, resulting in loss of access to care for many seniors. .More than one quarter of respondents spent from 0 to 9 a month on their healthcare during the first six months in 201That ranges from 27% to as much as 54% of the average monthly Social Security payment, which is hovering at ,100 this year. The majority of respondents, 45%, reported that they received a monthly Social Security benefit that falls within the range of 1 to ,335 after deduction for the Medicare Part B premium. .Insurers make major changes in their plans every year, like increasing premiums, co-pays, dropping coverage and even closing plans altogether. But according to a survey conducted by TSCL earlier this year, less than 18 percent of respondents said they switched their Part D or Medicare Advantage health plan for 201Medicare's annual Open Enrollment period starts earlier this year -- on October 15th -- and ends December 7th. Medicare beneficiaries should start the process now to find out what their choices are and how much they could save with a new Part D or Medicare Advantage plan. … Continued

Also this week, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) expressed optimism that he will gain support for the bill to lower prescription drug prices that he and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have written. Grassley's remarks came in the light of President Trump's State of the Union speech where he thanked Grassley for his work on the drug price issue and urged Congress to get a bill passed and sent to him. .Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment – Ensuring for a fair, accurate, and guaranteed COLA. .This week, House Republicans revived the AHCA after lawmakers affiliated with the Freedom Caucus endorsed a new version of it. A new amendment put forth by Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-3) would allow states to opt out of the ACA's essential health benefits mandate and allow them to do away with a provision that prevents insurers from charging sick individuals more for their coverage. .Benefit formula cuts: Change the benefit formula reducing benefits for new retirees with both high and average earnings. .On Tuesday, The Senior Citizens League released new data that shows nearly 80 percent of older Americans believe Medicare should cover dental, vision, and hearing services. Under current law, the Medicare program is prohibited from covering these critical services, and many older Americans living on fixed incomes cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket for costly care and assistive technologies like eyeglasses or hearing aids. .Lawmakers at Wednesday's Budget Committee hearing discussed potential solutions to the solvency challenge, including the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 860), introduced by Congressman John Larson (CT-1) and cosponsored by more than 200 House lawmakers. Congressman Larson, who testified before the committee members on Wednesday, outlined his Social Security reform proposal in detail. .Unfortunately, this has become standard operating procedure in Congress, regardless of who's in power. And even shutting down the government for a period of time is no longer seen to be the drastic action it once was. .If your prescription drug costs are outgrowing your ability to pay for your medicine, look into Medicare's "Extra Help" program. The program helps pay for some, or most, of the costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage, depending on income. In addition, there's no doughnut hole coverage gap that leaves you footing the bill for a larger share of the co-insurance, there's no late enrollment penalty, and you have the chance to switch plans at any time. According to the 2018 Medicare & You Handbook, drug costs in 2018 for people who qualify will be no more than .35 for generics and .35 for brand-name drugs. .The third piece of legislation they should pass is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 202It has always been considered to be "must pass" legislation because it authorizes so many things for the military, including pay. But as we reported last week, President Trump has threatened to veto the bill because it doesn't contain a measure that he wants passed having to do with the regulations of social media like Twitter and Facebook.