News

  • 2015 Legislative Update Week Ending June 5 2015

    The Center for Disease Control (CDC), one of the major operating components of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has put out new guidance for those Americans who have been fully vaccinated from Covid-19. .In his opening statement, HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (TN) said: "Our focus today is on what happens to the cost of the drug after it is approved by the FDA. We will examine the path an approved drug takes from the manufacturer to patient, and how this path affects what the patient pays … This is a discussion that affects the well-being of every American family. It is important that we work together to conduct this fact finding in a bipartisan way." .Today we are going to be hearing from people in their own words about Congress's neglect to help the very citizens we are sworn to serve. … Continued

  • Congressional Corner Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Should Never Be A Partisan Issue

    In setting prices, drug makers rarely acknowledge the considerable federal funding and research that have helped develop their products; they have not offered taxpayer-investors financial payback. .In a recent survey of TSCL's supporters, as many as one-third of respondents said they postponed filling their prescriptions or took less than prescribed due to high costs. They question why Congress hasn't taken action to improve the system and to protect the American public from rising drug costs. .Early Thursday morning, following a seven-hour voting marathon, lawmakers in the Senate passed a budget resolution that includes instructions for four committees – two in the House and two in the Senate – to craft legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The resolution passed with a vote of 51-48, without the support of any Senate Democrats. While casting her vote, Senator Claire McCaskill (MO) – who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – said: "Because there is no replace, I vote no." … Continued

As seniors know from experience, even as we face ever-higher prescription drug prices every year, we face increased Medicare premiums but also reduced Social Security COLAs. .I'm grateful for TSCL's work as guards and advocates to help us keep up with all that affects what we have to rely on. I've often used the information from this website to contact my Congress members and the President to let them know where we stand on issues, and that as retirees, we are the largest and most consistent voting bloc that crosses all party lines. — Mr. & Mrs. Lance Colvin, WA .Although Social Security and Medicare need some changes to enable the programs to continue paying scheduled benefits in a timely manner, TSCL believes that benefit reductions should not be imposed on people who have already retired, or are close to retirement. Other deficit reduction options exist, and Congress needs to allow time for the public to more fully learn about the proposals, consider the choices, and have an opportunity to provide input to elected lawmakers. .That represents a huge liability to the Social Security Trust Fund, should there be an amnesty. Every year the SSA processes millions of W2s. When a name or SSN on a W2 doesn't match the SSA's records, the wage report goes into an "Earnings Suspense File" (ESF) until the discrepancy can be reconciled. The ESF file today contains more than 312.7 million wage items representing 5 trillion in wages. Wages are what the Social Security Administration uses to determine entitlement to Social Security, rather than the amount of taxes paid. Immigration reform advocates say that although payroll taxes are withheld from the checks of illegal workers, they have little chance of collecting benefits. .This week, House Republicans revived the AHCA after lawmakers affiliated with the Freedom Caucus endorsed a new version of it. A new amendment put forth by Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ-3) would allow states to opt out of the ACA's essential health benefits mandate and allow them to do away with a provision that prevents insurers from charging sick individuals more for their coverage. .Finally, when older workers do land new jobs, they typically experience a steep drop in income and benefits. Median wages for people who take new jobs in their fifties fall by a median of 57 percent, and 25 percent lose their health insurance. .Investors already smell big money for a COVID-19 vaccine. .It's do or die time for Congress. Unless they can pass a federal government funding bill in the next 10 days the government will shut down on October And those 10 days are not all working days unless they decide to work through next weekend. .Our surveys are the key means to educate the public on issues, and for Members of Congress, to gauge how people think. Survey results can turn up the heat during an election year. This month, TSCL launches our annual 2020 Senior Survey, and we urge you to participate. This is our most important survey of the year, and your responses count.