News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending March 11 2016

    Popular with Medicare recipients, Medicare Advantage plans typically offer very low, or even no, monthly premiums, lower costs for some services than traditional fee-for-service Medicare, and coverage for some services that traditional Medicare does not cover, such as dental and vision care. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has more than doubled over the last decade, from 11.1 million in 2010, to 24.1 million in 2020. Ensuring the proper payment level is important not only for the federal government, but also for beneficiaries, since overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans drive up overall Part B costs and cause higher Part B premiums for all beneficiaries, even those not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. .TSCL agrees with Congressman Carter and Ranking Member Cummings, and we believe Congress must act before the end of this year to prevent price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry. We enthusiastically support the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, and we will advocate for it tirelessly in the months ahead. For updates on the bill's progress, visit the Legislative News section of our website, or follow us on Twitter. .In a press release, Mary Johnson – a policy analyst for TSCL – recently said: "Anyone who cares about his or her health coverage, Medicaid, or Medicare should contact their Members of Congress now." Since many in Congress are undecided on the AHCA, it is not too late for grassroots advocates to make an impact. TSCL encourages its members and supporters to call their representatives in Congress immediately to request their opposition to the AHCA. Contact information can be found HERE. … Continued

  • H R 3761 Seniors Deserve A Raise Act

    The Board of Trustees for Social Security and Medicare recently released a bombshell of a report that shows this essential health safety net is coming apart at the seams. The report estimates the Medicare trust fund will run dry in 2024, five years earlier than last year's estimate, and went on to explain, "The fund is not adequately financed over the next ten years." In an alternate estimate also released, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Chief Actuary Rick Foster painted an even more dire picture, reporting that Medicare's unfunded obligations could be significantly higher, and long-term costs could dramatically increase from the numbers provided in the Board of Trustee's report. .Patients would spend less to achieve better health. Value-based care systems focus on helping patients to recover from illness and on managing or avoiding chronic disease. The aim is to decrease the need for doctor visits, medical tests and procedures, and to reduce the amount of money spent on prescriptions while improving health. Value-based care encourages health providers to spend time on prevention-based services in order to focus more efforts on managing chronic disease with the goal of reducing costs like emergency room visits and hospitalizations. .According to The Hill, the legislation would, "… completely change the way the U.S. pays for drugs, saving the federal government more than 6 billion over 10 years, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). … Continued

One paid family leave proposal discussed at Wednesday's hearing would negatively impact the future of the Social Security program if adopted. It would allow parents to claim up to 12 weeks of early Social Security benefits as a form of paid family leave following the birth or adoption of a child. To offset the cost, individuals would be required to delay the collection of their Social Security benefits in retirement. Those who take twelve weeks of paid family leave would see their full eligibility ages in retirement increase by as much as twenty-five weeks. .We at TSCL believe this is something that should have been done years ago. .Protection of the Social Security Trust Fund – Ensuring that the program's assets are locked out of the general budget. .TSCL Gears Up For Busy New Year .Six Steps to Getting Six Month's Worth of Prescriptions for the Cost of Two. Get more mileage out of your drug coverage using these tried and true methods. They'll be lifesavers for you just like the thousands of seniors who have tried them. Editors, a full article with permission to reprint is available. .At the same time that Social Security and Medicare rolls are increasing, the funding for Social Security and Medicare, which depend on payroll taxes withheld from wages, has fallen. Payroll taxes are not withheld from people who have no earnings. .Lawmakers returned to their home states and districts this week to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Members of the Senate returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday, while Members of the House are expected to return on Sunday, just one day before the Fiscal Cliff is scheduled to hit. .The Three Biggest Expenses to Cut In Retirement — Most seniors spend more time clipping coupons to save a few dollars when they do their weekly grocery shopping than they ever spend cutting these three biggies. Spend more time on these and you'll have more money for groceries and everything else. .The study examined the increase in costs of 32 key items between 2000 and January 201The items were chosen because they are typical of the costs seniors must bear. Of the 32 costs analyzed, 20 exceeded the total percentage of increase in the COLA over the same period.