News

  • Social Security Medicare Questions January 2014

    In view of what happened and the substantial differential in pure dollar terms, TSCL believes "The Notch Fairness Act" is a fair, and even modest settlement for those who were affected by the Notch. "The Notch Fairness Act" would provide those born from 1917 through 1926 the option of choosing ,000 payable over a five year period or an improved monthly benefit. . What does it mean when a Member of Congress says he favors changing Medicare from a "fee-for-service" model to one where the patients would pay based on health outcomes? Is he suggesting that Medicare should stop covering treatments if the patient can't or doesn't improve? .Congress Fails to Reach Agreement – President Takes Action … Continued

  • Issues Prevention Of Fraud Waste Faqs

    This week, the Senate Finance Committee met to discuss the proposed Medicare Part B drug demonstration program with Dr. Patrick Conway, the Acting Principle Deputy Administrator and Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). .TSCL is fighting the plan to chain COLAs and believes seniors need a COLA that more adequately protects the buying power of their Social Security benefits. "Members of Congress are more likely to re-think voting for legislation when they see a large number of seniors are adamantly opposed to cutting COLAs," says Hyland. To learn more about proposals that would affect your Social Security benefits, get tips on reducing your Medicare costs, and sign up for TSCL's free online newsletter The Social Security & Medicare Advisor, visit TSCL at . .Ensure that rebates drug makers now pay to benefit managers and insurers get passed directly to patients when they buy a medication. The White House last year withdrew an earlier version of the proposal, after the Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost taxpayers 7 billion over 10 years. … Continued

Part B premiums are only part of what Medicare recipients pay. People also have premiums for a Medigap supplement and Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan and those premiums are rising as well. Hold harmless protection does not apply to premium increases in these private plans, and any increase would leave retirees .Social Security defines an overpayment as "any time beneficiaries receive more than they should have." This occurs for a number for reasons, but most frequently when Social Security isn't notified of changes, such as a death of a beneficiary or excess earnings when working. Overpayments can also be due to errors by the Social Security Administration, but even when the overpayments are Social Security's own fault, the beneficiary must prove he or she is not at fault. .But it turns out the Democrats are not quite as united as that statement makes it sound. Ten members recently sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressing concerns about the drug pricing legislation as written. .Contact Social Security and ask about placing a "block" on your account. This would prevent changes from being made regarding your address and payment deposit. The "block" would require that you visit your local Social Security office in person to authorize changes. .It is not clear what implications, if any, the findings might have for the two other major vaccines being used in the U.S., Pfizer's and Moderna's. .The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would strengthen the COLA and better protect the buying power of Social Security recipients. To learn more, visit . .Missing Medicare Part B Enrollment Deadline Triggers Penalties .Comprehensive immigration reform has been topping the legislative agenda in Congress for months, but so far most policy wonks and lawmakers have kept quiet about the ways in which reform would affect Social Security. Millions would become eligible to collect Social Security benefits based on work done illegally, under invalid or fraudulent Social Security numbers. TSCL is concerned about the ethical implications of this, and we believe that it would put additional strains on the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. .Over the past nine years, COLAs have averaged just 1.4%, so it comes as a frustrating surprise to retirees to learn that, in the decade prior to 2000, COLAs averaged 3% per year, more than twice the average today. Because COLAs compound, and the monthly benefit grows over time, lower COLAs mean less Social Security income than retirees might have planned for. That in turn means spending through retirement savings more quickly than planned.