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Legislative Update For Week Ending August 3 2012
Many Members of Congress will hold town hall meetings throughout the recess, giving voters an excellent opportunity to voice their views and concerns. In the upcoming week, the following Members of Congress, among others, will hold town halls in their states and districts. .You can learn more about Social Security disability benefits at https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/. Find information about when to start retirement benefits here: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/learn.html h3. .This week, a federal court rejected the Obama administration's immigration appeal, and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw two key bills gain new cosponsors. … Continued
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Legislative Update For Week Ending May 30 2014
The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would raise the income thresholds that subject Social Security benefits to taxation. .However, it is possible that some doctors and hospitals may opt not to accept Medicare due to lower cost reimbursements or providers may also try to pass extra costs to consumers. .On Thursday, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction held their second public hearing, which focused on revenue options and reforming the tax code. The Committee heard testimony from Thomas Barthold, Chief of Staff of the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxations. … Continued
Several unintended consequences have already resulted from the implementation of the new security policy. On Monday, customers of Verizon Wireless – the nation's largest wireless carrier – were unable to access their online accounts due to technical difficulties. In addition, those without access to text-enabled cellphones and those residing in areas with unreliable cellphone service found themselves locked out of their online accounts. .First, one new cosponsor, Representative Dean Phillips (MN-3), signed on to Congressman Larson's Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 860), bringing the total up to 20If adopted, this critical bill would strengthen and reform the Social Security program responsibly, without enacting benefit cuts for current or future retirees. It would also cut taxes for millions of seniors and create a new Special Minimum Benefit set at 125 percent of the poverty line. .This claim, as you probably suspect, is hogwash. The CPI currently used to calculate the COLA underpays, not overpays retirees because it is based on the spending patterns of younger working adults. Yet younger workers spend less than half the amount on healthcare costs than people over the age of 65 do. Retirees also spend a bigger share of their income on housing. .The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation have boosted previous estimates and now say that switching to the chained consumer price index (C-CPI) will cut Social Security and other federal retirement benefits by 8 billion and increase taxes by 2 billion over the next 10 years. The loss to beneficiaries would compound over time and grows deeper each year as illustrated in the following chart. As seniors grow older and more likely to develop costly health conditions, their Social Security benefits would become less adequate to cover rising costs more quickly. .Legislation passed in 1983 required all Members of Congress to pay into Social Security. That said, like all high-income workers, they only pay Social Security up to the maximum taxable wage, which in 2012 is 0,100. Thus Members of Congress pay no Social Security taxes on the additional ,900 they receive as salary. Since Members of Congress are high-income earners, they are also in line for the maximum tax break due to the payroll tax cut extension. The payroll tax rate has temporarily been cut by 2%, meaning Members of Congress will save ,002 in 2012. .Dental Coverage Under Medicare .The Mayo Clinic has put out the following information as a way of helping you decide what it is that you may be suffering from. You are advised that if your symptoms are the same as in the past you are likely suffering from allergies again. But if there is any variation you should get tested for Covid. And if you have any doubt, getting tested for Covid is probably the right thing to do, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated. .Congressman Larson's bill would comprehensively reform the Social Security program by enhancing benefits and improving the solvency of the Trust Funds for decades to come. He said at Wednesday's hearing: "The Social Security 2100 Act will expand and enhance Social Security, making the program financially stable through this century and beyond. It is the only legislative proposal that expands benefits, is fully paid for, and achieves sustainable solvency as determined by the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration." .Grassley's proposal has long been seen as the most likely major drug pricing legislation to reach Trump's desk. However, conservative groups dislike the bill's cap on drug pricing increases and the legislation's main Democratic sponsor, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), recently withdrew from negotiations on the package.