News

  • Problems On Lowering Drug Prices

    Grassley to Push Hard in the Senate for his Drug Pricing Bill .Starting a new medication can sometimes take you by surprise when drug plans don't cover the drug or charge higher co-pays than you can afford. If you're having trouble covering the cost of your medicine, here are some things to try: .A second of the measures the President signed on Saturday aims to provide 0 in weekly unemployment aid for millions of Americans. Trump said 25 percent of this money would be paid by states, many of which are already dealing with major budget shortfalls. The federal contribution would be redirected from disaster relief money at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those funds are not likely to last more than two months, and the President did not say when the benefits would kick in. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending January 5 2018

    The SNAP Simplification for the Elderly Act (H.R. 4521) gained one new cosponsor in Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), bringing the new cosponsor total up to 20. If enacted, H.R. 4521 would streamline the application process for senior citizens to receive help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill would also encourage collaboration between local Social Security offices and the SNAP programs to help seniors at risk of hunger enroll in both benefits simultaneously. .The jury is still out on value-based health systems, and whether they can save any significant amount of money remains to be seen. The Congressional Budget Office issued a recent report outlining a number of issues and unintended consequences such as providing an incentive for providers to improve their "quality rankings" by avoiding sicker patients. Critics say that the system places a new burden on primary care doctors that would potentially punish providers financially for patients' bad health habits and behaviors. .This week, progress stalled on a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past September 30th. In addition, one Senate committee held a hearing on maximizing Social Security benefits. … Continued

TSCL is interested in hearing your comments on this issue, and whether you have ever been forced to use mandatory arbitration to resolve a disagreement. If so, did the outcome satisfy you? Please send us an email. .Single taxpayers with more than one job. .So, before these invaluable vaccines hit the market, we should talk about an actual price. Otherwise, we will be stuck paying dearly for shots that the rest of the world will get for much less. .Does TSCL receive government funding? .The Senior Citizens League believes it is time to focus on the adequacy of Social Security benefits to meet rising Medicare costs. COLAs have been insufficient to cover the Part B premium in five out of the past ten years — 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, and 201This is a clear indication that Social Security COLA is not adequate, and not doing the job it was intended to do. . .This week, five new cosponsors signed on to the Notch Fairness Act (H.R. 1001). They are: Reps. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL-2), Collin Peterson (MN-7), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Elton Gallegly (CA-24), and Christopher Smith (NJ-4). These cosponsor additions bring the total up to 35. .Managing the cost of pet care grows more emotionally and financially challenging as we and our pets age. The cost of care often sets up ethical dilemmas, especially for older adults facing unfunded gaps in retirement income. .Last year, prescription drug prices grew by 12% nationwide. A rate that high hasn't occurred since 200What do you believe should be done to manage the growing cost increases of prescription drugs? .This week, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw three critical bills – the Credit for Caring Act, the Social Security Fairness Act, and the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act – gain new cosponsors on Capitol Hill.