News

  • The Senior Citizens Leaguepress Releasemedicaid Cuts

    TSCL supports legislation that would raise the taxable maximum. "TSCL believes that cutting Social Security benefits can't be justified when moderate payroll tax adjustments can keep the system solvent for decades," says TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton. "Requiring everyone to pay their full share would add years of solvency to the Social Security," Benton says. .Last year Congress considered a major Medicaid overhaul that would transition the program from one that covers qualified applicants whose incomes are low enough, to a system that provides a fixed per capita payment or block grant to states. The Congressional Budget Office estimated this change would cut federal spending on Medicaid by more than 25% over the next decade. Despite lawmakers' failure to enact the change to Medicaid last year, some lawmakers in Congress and president Trump may try again this year. .As a proud affiliate of TREThe Enlisted Association, and because many of TSCL supporters are military retirees we keep a close eye on the health benefits of military retirees. … Continued

  • Why You Should Be Worried About Medicare Fraud

    In April, more than 150 House lawmakers proposed a budget blueprint that would have reformed the Medicare program and cut Social Security benefits by adopting the "chained" CPI, eliminating the COLA for some seniors, and raising the eligibility age. Did you support this budget blueprint, and if so, why? .This week, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for new legislation that would improve the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). .Editor's note: While I have a pretty reliable track record on estimating the COLA, this year's inflation is far different than at any previous time in the past 26+ years. Inflation has been so volatile that I worry my probability models may not work as well as they typically do. In most years I'm pretty certain about my September estimate of the COLA for the following year. But this time all bets are off. Be patient — I'm no psychic, and stay tuned to the news! … Continued

(Washington, DC) – Older Americans are not to blame for an exploding federal budget deficit warns The Senior Citizens League. "Congress can't cut taxes by an estimated .7 trillion and then turn around and blame rising deficits on ‘entitlements' and aging," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. .Will We Get A COLA in 2012? .Alexandria, V An overwhelming majority of seniors oppose two Medicare changes that are among the most widely - discussed reforms in Congress, according to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). Eighty-one percent of seniors strongly oppose a proposal that would impose a significantly higher annual deductible while restricting supplemental Medigap plans from covering the cost. Only 1 percent of those responding favored the idea. Seventy - four percent also strongly oppose replacing Medicare with a premium support system of private health plans, and giving beneficiaries a premium subsidy or voucher to shop for a new health plan. Just 5 percent said they favored this idea. "Both plans shift costs to seniors, something the vast majority can ill afford," says TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. .A few weeks after a 90-year old woman was moved into an assisted living facility, her daughter was surprised to be told that her mother was a good candidate for hospice. The move to assisted living was only intended for help with her mother's daily care, and her. Another Banner Year For Medicare Fraud? , editor .The costs shown in the chart below assumed plan coverage started on September 1, 2017 for a new enrollee. The Medicare Drug Plan Finder cost estimates include premiums, and out-of-pocket cost sharing for 201Costs shown are estimates and the actual costs may vary somewhat depending on pharmacy used. The prices illustrated in the chart are likely to change for 2018. .Social Security is the largest single source of income for older Americans, providing the majority of income for half of retirees, and at least 90% of income for 18% of retirees, according to another think tank, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. .So far, 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed, and Members of the House have begun taking a piecemeal approach that would send some of them back to work by providing funding for certain agencies. However, the Senate has rejected each bill. Leaders in that chamber believe a piecemeal approach will set a bad precedent and give the opposing political party "veto power over what is funded and what isn't," according to Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY). ."Another factor affecting retirement income is the amount of the initial Social Security benefit when one first retires. Social Security benefits are not growing as quickly as in in previous decades," Johnson says. This is particularly true for middle to lower earning workers due to the slow growth in real wages over decades. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, between 1979 to 2018, real wages have grown for top earners, but have stagnated or fallen for middle to lower earners. "That is reflected in the (often disappointing) initial Social Security benefits of new retirees," Johnson says. .The Part D doughnut hole will be "closed" in 2020, but that doesn't mean that your out-of-pocket spending will stop. To the contrary, an unprecedented spike in Medicare's required out-of-pocket costs means you may pay more than you did in 201You will hit the former coverage gap around October or November, depending on whether the price of your prescription goes up.