News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending November 30 2012

    The exact mechanisms for enacting the provisions therein — such as requiring manufacturers to reveal their development costs — remain unclear. The industry has previously protected development data as a trade secret. The bills would also require "reasonable pricing clauses" be included in agreements between drug companies and agencies funding their work. They propose waiving exclusive licenses for COVID-19 drugs, allowing competitors to sell the same products as long as they pay the patent holder royalties. .Why You Should Beware When The Doctor Wants To Hold You For "Observation" .If you asked a Social Security recipient for a penny for their thoughts on next year's projected 0.2% cost of living adjustment, they could give it to you, but they'd only have .99 left. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending September 11 2015

    Screen your calls: Even if you have caller ID, experts suggest screening calls any way. More robo-callers are making their calls appear to be local by using phone numbers from your own local calling area. Unless you know the number of the caller is legit, don't pick up. Legitimate callers, such as your doctor's office calling to remind of an appointment, will leave a message. Tell your family and friends to leave a message and to keep talking at least long enough for you to get to the phone if your phone's speaker allows you to hear the caller's message. .Support for Notch Reform legislation has grown significantly, nearly doubling over the previous six Congressional sessions in which it's been introduced. TSCL is encouraging seniors and their younger family members like you to contact your Members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor and pass "The Notch Fairness Act, " H.R. 1001 and S. 118! .Legislation was introduced in the last Congress to remedy the new benefit reductions affecting people born in 1960— "The Social Security COVID Correction and Equity Act," introduced by Representative John Larson (CT-1), and the "Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act," introduced by Senators Tim Kaine (VA) and Bill Cassidy (LA). The Senior Citizens League strongly endorses legislation that would fix not only this notch but also provide permanent protection from this sort of recessionary reduction for past and future retirees as well. … Continued

Higher-income beneficiaries. People with modified gross incomes above ,000 (individuals) or 0,000 (couples) in 2017 are required to pay higher Part B premiums. The amount they pay varies depending on income. According to Medicare Trustees, their premium increases will range from to per month. .TSCL is supportive of both of Rep. DeFazio's bills, and we were pleased to see support grow for them this week. .We urge you to keep wearing a mask if you been doing so, and if you haven't, please start – for your own safety and the health and safety of those around you. .The CBO recently evaluated a number of different policy options for changing Social Security, noting three broad approaches that have received considerable attention, including: .Working longer, especially if you are earning more now than you did in jobs in the past, can also help increase your benefit because the Social Security Administration uses your highest 35 years of earnings to calculate your initial retirement amount. If you've worked less than 35 years, then the extra years of work will help fill in the earning gaps in your record. .The opinions expressed in "Congressional Corner" reflect the views of the writer and are not necessarily those of The Senior Citizens League. .Retired seniors have been far more accepting of vaccines than their working-age counterparts. Their full vaccination rate is about 82%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because they're susceptible to severe illness, even relatively few unvaccinated seniors mean more deaths -- and more crowded hospitals -- than would occur in a larger pool of younger adults. .High unemployment during the COVID pandemic of 2020 could cause an estimated 4 million people who were born in 1960 to face permanent reductions to their Social Security benefits, due to a flawed feature of the Social Security benefit formula. Congress can prevent this from happening, but only if it takes action in time. To prevent benefit cuts, Congress may need to enact legislation by the end of this year, before the 1960 birth cohort turns 62 and first become eligible to claim Social Security retirement benefits. .Benefit Bulletin: February 2014 Before Obamacare & 8220;Glitch,& 8221; There Was The Notch Glitch