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  • Legislative Update Week Ending January 26 2018

    Obama's new policy for illegal immigrants was recently announced and implemented without Congressional approval. Now questions are growing about the potential for widespread fraud — and with good reason, it seems. Less than two months after the government announced some 800,000 illegal immigrants would qualify for work authorization under the program, immigration policy analysts now say that more than twice that number, nearly 1.8 million, will qualify. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security appears to be accepting a surprisingly wide variety of evidence and supporting documents from applicants, hoping to prove that they qualify to stay in the U.S. and for temporary work authorization. .Changes are looming for Medicare and Social Security. Make your opinion count. Visit TSCL online at and take our monthly poll. We'll announce the results in upcoming issues of this newsletter. .A study conducted by TSCL has found that Social Security benefits have lost 30 percent of buying power since 2000 over the same period that Medicare Part B premiums grew by 195 percent. Social Security benefits on the other hand have grown by only 43 percent. The findings represent an especially big loss in buying power of 7 percent from January of 2016 to January of 2017. … Continued

  • How Much Of Your Social Security Is Taken By Medicare Costs

    Because of the huge demand various brands of sanitizers started appearing in stores that we had not seen before. Then we were alerted that some of those that were made in Mexico contained methanol, a form of alcohol that's poisonous to humans, and we should not use them. .A number of vaccines, including those for flu and pneumonia, might be capable of improving immunity overall, according to one researcher. Scientists are looking at several other potential candidates, including vaccines against herpes viruses and tuberculosis. .Sixty-five percent of people surveyed by The Senior Citizens League support lifting the thresholds that subject Social Security benefits to taxation. The Senior Citizens League is seeking input from the public on this issue. To participate in a survey about Social Security and Medicare, visit . … Continued

Nearly 1.5 million teachers and other public servants see their earned Social Security benefits reduced by as much as 40 percent due to the Windfall Elimination Provision. What do you feel should be done about this? .Because of the coronavirus, however, the BLS has been unable to gather much of the information from those two categories. Therefore, although they do not use the word, they are going to guess at those costs. It may be an educated guess, but it is still a guess, nonetheless. .Senate Committee Discusses Drug Costs .Grassley's proposal has long been seen as the most likely major drug pricing legislation to reach Trump's desk. However, conservative groups dislike the bill's cap on drug pricing increases and the legislation's main Democratic sponsor, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), recently withdrew from negotiations on the package. .Last week we wrote about a new bill that was expected to be introduced this week by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that would lower prescription drug prices on some of the most expensive drugs. The plan would allow the secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate the price of up to 250 drugs per year, and the lower prices would apply to people both with private insurance and those on Medicare. .This week, House lawmakers remained in their home districts to continue the August recess. Meanwhile, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw support grow in the Senate for three bipartisan bills that would strengthen the Medicare program. .This week, the Social Security Administration announced the 2019 cost-of-living adjustment, and President Donald Trump signed into law legislation that will result in lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at pharmacies. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw in Congress. .New cosponsors sign on to Social Security Fairness Act .(Washington, DC) – A new survey seeking to learn the financial impact of the coronavirus on older Americans indicates that almost half of retirees say they have gone without essential items. According to the survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), 48 percent of survey respondents report they have gone without food, prescription drugs, face masks, and disinfecting cleaning products during the coronavirus pandemic. "Our survey suggests that almost half of the nation's retirees may not have the resources needed to cope with COVID-19," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League.