News

  • H R 1585 Guaranteed 3 Cola Act

    Unlike Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans charge a co-payment every time you visit a doctor, use a lab, or have a brief hospital stay. In fact, Medicare Advantage plans can charge a very hefty 5 — 5 per day co-payments for hospital stays that generally would cost nothing at all under Medigap supplements for the same period. Seniors, especially those who are older, and who might require hospitalizations or have chronic health conditions, may wind up spending as much or even more out-of-pocket in a low, or no premium Medicare Advantage Plan as they would with under a Medigap plan. Medicare Advantage plans appear to be more advantageous for seniors who: .In addition, the bill would help finance Part D benefits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will save Medicare billion over a decade and save beneficiaries billion in out-of-pocket costs over the same period. .This week, the Senate Budget Committee met to discuss the future of the Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) program, which is set to become insolvent in 2016, and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for one new piece of legislation. … Continued

  • Legislative Update April 2019

    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. .We could, alternatively, allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices — a proposal that has been raised by politicians and beaten back by industry again and again. We would then need to restrict markup for a COVID-19 vaccine for the private market. Otherwise, we would get the kinds of results emerging from the COVID testing industry, where Medicare pays 0 for the test but some labs charge insurers over ,000. .It remains to be seen how long the impasse will last, and whether or not Congressional leaders will lend their support to the bipartisan group's plan. Currently, no clear end to the shutdown is in sight. The Senate will remain in session over the weekend, and Members of the House have been told to stay in Washington for possible votes. The government shutdown should not have any effect on the daily lives of seniors, but TSCL will closely monitor the discussions for any developments, and we will continue to post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. … Continued

Apply for Medicaid coverage while you wait. Check with a counselor at your local area Agency on Aging or local Medicaid department. Medicaid can take several months to start. .The basic science that has allowed the small company to move so rapidly was developed with a huge prior infusion of federal money to come up with a treatment for diseases like Zika. .Nationwide, the picture is equally bleak, with more than 60 million Americans at risk of losing access to the rural hospitals that serve their families. What's worse – in order to prevent rural hospitals from closing under a Medicare-for-all regime, Medicare would have to increase hospital payments up to 60% higher than current Medicare rates. .In the months ahead, The Senior Citizens League will continue to work for enactment of this and other legislation that would strengthen and enhance Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries. For progress updates, follow The Senior Citizens League on Twitter and Facebook. .This week, one House Subcommittee approved a draft Medicare physician payment reform bill. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for legislation introduced by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46), and four key bills gained new cosponsors. .Nineteen percent (19%) have postponed filling one or more prescriptions due to quarantine or emergency orders to stay home. .To counter concerns over the cost of "fixing" the Notch and the financial solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund, TSCL backs an alternative "capped-cost" solution. "The Notch Fairness Act" would provide Notch Babies born from 1917 through 1926, or their survivors who receive benefits based on their accounts, a choice of either improved monthly benefits, or a lump-sum of ,000 payable over a four-year period. Recent surveys of TSCL members show more than 75% favor the lump-sum legislation. .Sources: "Humana Inc. Overcharged Medicare Nearly 0 Million, Federal Audit Finds," Fred Schulte, NPR, April 20, 202"Insurers Running Medicare Advantage Plans Overbill Taxpayers By Billions As Feds Struggle to Stop It," Fred Schulte and Lauren Weber, Kaiser Health News, July 16, 201"Reducing Medicare Advantage Overpayments," Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, February, 23, 2021. .Taxpayers who receive pension payments.