News

  • 2016 Supreme Court Decision On Immigration May Have Big Implications For Social Security Medicare

    In addition to overlooking Medicare premiums, the CPI-W also doesn't accurately measure the portion of income that retirees and disabled Social Security recipients spend on Medicare. Spending for medical care in the CPI for younger adults represents about 6.5 percent of household budgets, but surveys by TSCL suggest that retirees routinely send more than twice that amount. .According to the National Council on Aging, 34% of older households hold credit card balances, and another 29% still owe money on a mortgage, home equity line of credit, or both. Digging out requires work and making changes. Reducing debt requires increasing income, restructuring your budget, and other changes. Here are some things to consider: .The lack of growth in Social Security benefits, together with the inexorable rise in healthcare costs, is causing financial dilemmas for Medicare beneficiaries that may be jeopardizing their health. The situation is leaving both seniors and disabled adults who are living longer lives without adequate financial resources for their retirement, survey participants say. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending June 9 2017

    On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approved legislation that would repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which is the flawed formula that is currently used to determine reimbursements for physicians who treat Medicare patients. The SGR regularly calls for steep pay cuts for doctors and other providers, threatening beneficiaries' access to medical care. .Medicare first started covering rehabilitation services in 197Just seven years later in 1979, Congress enacted a cap of 0 on outpatient therapy due to concerns that rehabilitation outpatient services would take over the Medicare budget. The cap – which was indexed to medical inflation – remained in place until the passage of the "Balanced Budget Act of 1997," when a ,500 cap was passed into law and set to take effect in 199However, President Clinton halted the implementation of the ,500 cap, leaving services open to reimbursements by Medicare. Since 1999, several bills introduced in Congress sought to either repeal or keep the spending cap on rehabilitation services, with the cap drawing bipartisan criticism as being unfair to Medicare beneficiaries. .By Representative Larry Bucshon (IN-8) … Continued

In April, House lawmakers voted on a balanced budget amendment to the constitution that would have been disastrous for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries if adopted. Did you support this drastic measure, and if so, why? .The fate of President Obama's controversial executive action on immigration remains tied up in court. The potential long-term financial impact of the actions on Social Security and Medicare remains unknown, and elected lawmakers have been unable to agree to immigration policy changes legislatively. .Congressmen from both sides of the aisle have demanded an explanation. At a recent hearing on reimportation attended by TSCL staff, Senator Bill Nelson (FL) said that Canadian drug shipments were seized from more than 100 of his constituents. .Although it's illegal for immigrants to work in this country without a valid Social Security number, millions of illegal workers readily obtain forged or invalid Social Security numbers and show them to employers to get jobs. Employers use the invalid Social Security numbers for reporting earnings to the Social Security Administration. .Sources: "Relief From Deportation: Demographic Profile Of The DREAMers Potentially Eligible Under The Deferred Action Policy," Migration Policy Institute, August 2012. .Sen. Tom Harkin (IA) introduced S. 567 on March 14, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance. .I would like to know how, at this point, you project a Social Security COLA at 6.1%. Inflation would have to continue on an upward path through September for that to happen. — R.Q., NJ .Federal law generally prohibits or restricts the payment of both Social Security and SSI to unauthorized noncitizens, but a number of exceptions exist. Although the perplexing web of rules differ for each program, immigration or disability attorneys are frequently involved in applicants' efforts to apply and qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits. In addition, illegal immigrants may be using forged or invalid Social Security numbers (SSNs) and papers when claiming benefits. .(Washington, DC) – Consumer price index data through August 2021 indicates that the 2022 COLA will likely be about 6 percent. But soaring inflation this year has deeply eroded the buying power of Social Security benefits, according to a new update to an ongoing inflation study by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The study, which compares the growth in the Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLA)s with increases in the costs of goods and services typically used by retirees found that, since 2000, Social Security benefits have lost 32 percent of their buying power.