News

  • Category Tips For Seniors Healthcare Page 2

    TSCL is hopeful that lawmakers will successfully repeal and replace the SGR before the looming deadline, since doing so would bring much-needed stability to the Medicare program. We will continue to monitor the negotiations in the coming weeks, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. .Your drug plan will provide you with forms and a package of information about how your mail order program works. You will need to ask your doctor for a 90-day prescription. Since it can take up to two weeks for delivery, make sure you either have a 30-day supply of your prescription on hand when you place your first order, or ask your doctor for a temporary 30-day prescription in addition to the 90-day, so that you can fill it at your retail pharmacy if you need to start the medication right away. .While not all generics work the same or as well as brand name drugs, they do work much or most of the time and the savings would be enormous. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending May 15 2015

    Last year President Trump proposed lowering the prices of certain Medicare drug prices by tying those prices to lower prices paid in other developed countries. Under that proposal, prices would have been lower than they are now, but would still be a certain percentage higher than they are in other countries. The President was not satisfied with that idea, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. On Wednesday Azar said the President wants the proposal changed so that prices in the United States are even lower than they are in other countries. ."But the time is coming when the states and federal government will be under urgent pressure to cut Medicaid and Medicare costs," says TSCL Chairman, Larry Hyland. "TSCL is concerned that if states and the federal government don't design and implement the changes the right way, beneficiaries' may lose access to medically necessary care and quality." .TSCL agrees with Rep. Johnson, and we believe Congress must begin formulating a serious plan to fix the program's finances. Recently, we announced our support for two pieces of legislation that we believe are long overdue. One bill (S. 499 / H.R. 918) would prevent beneficiaries from collecting both unemployment benefits and disability insurance benefits at the same time. The second bill (S. 1198 / H.R. 1936) would ensure that evidence from convicted felons and other criminals is excluded when determining whether an individual is eligible for disability benefits. … Continued

This week, one new cosponsor – Rep. John Garamendi (CA-3) – signed on to the SAVE Benefits Act (H.R. 4012), which was recently introduced in the House by Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-9). If signed into law, the bill would give Social Security beneficiaries a 3.9 percent COLA next year instead of the zero COLA they are expected to receive. It would cover the cost of the emergency COLA and extend the solvency of the Trust Funds by closing a loophole that allows corporations to deduct executive bonuses from their taxes. .Sources: The Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019, Description of the Chairman's Mark, Senate Committee on Finance, July 25, 201"GOP Senators Distance Themselves From Grassley and Trump's Efforts to Cut Drug Prices," Emmarie Huetteman, Kaiser Health News, July 25, 2019. .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. .Because of these risks, action will be required well before 2037 and the costs associated with delaying action grow each year. While TSCL understands that changes are needed to the Social Security system and some small changes are likely, harsh benefit cuts should not be tolerated. .TSCL agrees that the IPAB should be repealed before it is triggered to begin making cost-cutting recommendations to Congress. Even though the Affordable Care Act forbids the board from "rationing" care, cutting Medicare benefits, or increasing premiums, TSCL is concerned that cuts to providers could result in increased costs for beneficiaries or decreased access to quality medical care. .But according to TSCL studies, Medicare Part B premiums are one of the single fastest - rising senior costs. Data from TSCL's annual survey of senior costs indicate that with next year's Part B increase, premiums will be 168% higher than 2000, rising on average 10.5% per year, even though there was no increase at all over the past two years. Part D premiums have grown roughly 60% since the program started in 2006, averaging about 6% per year. .EyeCare America®. This is a service of the Foundations of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which provides free eye exams and up to one year of care for low-income individuals who qualify. Learn more at www.eyecareamerica.org or call 1-877-877-6327. ."Americans face major retirement challenges," Johnson says. The Senior Citizens .For more information about Social Security reform options, click here. To watch Wednesday's House Budget Committee Hearing in full, click here.