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  • Faq How Would Switching To The Chained Cpi Affect Social Security Benefits

    Congress should change the law to apply the Social Security payroll tax to all earnings, instead of the first 2,800 of earnings, to strengthen program funding. — 72 percent support, 19 percent opposed, and 9 percent favored other types of revenue increases. .It's do or die time for Congress. Unless they can pass a federal government funding bill in the next 10 days the government will shut down on October And those 10 days are not all working days unless they decide to work through next weekend. .Medicare has recently issued a proposed rule that would require, with some exceptions, patients who stay in the hospital two days or less to be classified as observation patients, and those who stay longer to be admitted as an inpatient. But the rule does not require hospitals to tell patients when they are in observation status or allow them to appeal the decision before they leave. Medicare recommends patients who are in the hospital for "more than a few hours" to learn their status. TSCL believes that the rules unfairly burden Medicare patients and their families, and believes that patients have a right to know their observation status and to be given an opportunity to appeal the determination. To learn more, see the publication "Are You a Hospital Inpatient Or Outpatient, If You Have Medicare — Ask!" (CMS No. 11435). … Continued

  • Issues Medicare Prescription Drug Policies Track Bills

    In 2018, 74% of participants in TSCL's 2018 Senior Survey said to improve Social Security's financing, they support applying the full 12.4% Social Security payroll tax to all earnings, rather than just limiting the amount of wages that are taxable, which is 2,900 in 201Fifty nine percent of survey participants support very gradually raising the Social Security payroll tax by 1% each for workers and employers. TSCL is working to acquaint Congress with Social Security financing changes that have the broadest support among older Americans. .That is why a bipartisan coalition in the House recently proposed two new bills to prevent "price gouging" for "taxpayer funded COVID-19 drugs" to ensure affordable pricing. .To help you sort things out, TSCL strongly recommends that you get free one-on-one Medicare counseling through your state health insurance assistance program (SHIP). Many of the programs operate through area agencies on aging, local departments of senior services or senior centers. You can also get more information online at www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800-Medicare ( 7). … Continued

Annual vaccinations. While you don't want to skip annual exams and vaccines, you might be surprised to learn that many recommended vaccines are licensed to be effective for three years or more. However, all pets are different and some non-core vaccines may need to be given more frequently. State and local laws can affect how frequently some vaccines are given. Ask for a copy of your pet's vaccination records, if you don't already have them. Then check around for low-cost spay & neuter clinics that also offer discounted vaccinations. To learn more about discounted vaccines, contact your local SPCA, animal shelter, or local pet supply stores to learn what may be scheduled in your area. .Similarly, Sen. Mike Lee (UT) wrote in a statement: "The Fifth Circuit should be commended for its well-reasoned decision to prevent President Obama from implementing his lawless executive amnesty program. Our immigration system is in desperate need of reform. But that reform must be agreed to and passed by Congress, not unilaterally imposed on the American people by the executive branch." .Key Bills Gain Support in Congress .TSCL has serious concerns about several of the provisions in the AHCA, including the tax cut that would endanger the Medicare program. As discussions continue to advance the bill, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) will continue to monitor them, and we will advocate on Capitol Hill for policies that would protect the Medicare Trust Fund while reducing out-of-pocket costs for older Americans. For progress updates, follow TSCL on Facebook or Twitter. .The CPI-E regularly puts the spending inflation for seniors at two-tenths of a percentage point higher than the rate at which the CPI-W increases. That may seem like an insignificant amount, but over a twenty-five-year retirement, COLAs do compound significantly. We estimate that a senior who filed for Social Security benefits around thirty years ago would have received nearly ,000 more in retirement if the CPI-E had been used to calculate COLAs. .When a Senate vote is tied, the Vice President, who the Constitution designates as the President of the Senate, can cast the tie-breaking vote, which is exactly what happened. .Do you think Social Security's funding should be strengthened? Consider attending a local town hall in your area. Sign up to ask questions, or approach a staffer of your Member of Congress to relay your ideas. Together, we can make the case that better retirement security can't be achieved through cutting the benefits that more than 61 million people depend on, but rather by everyone paying their fair share during their working years. .Understand what is covered and what isn't. First the good news: You are probably covered in case a meteorite strikes your home. Now the bad: Your coverage probably doesn't protect you from floods or even a sewer back up. You may be underinsured. Insurance industry surveys indicate, for example, that 43% of homeowners believe damage from heavy rain flooding is covered under the standard insurance policy. It isn't. To be protected you must purchase supplemental flood insurance or other types of riders to your homeowners policy. The same may be true of wild fires, mudslides, sink holes and other natural disasters. If you live in a high-risk zone, consider adding flood or other supplemental coverage. .TSCL opposes legislative efforts that would make today's seniors and those nearing Medicare-age pay higher costs for their Medicare coverage.