News

  • Its August Congress Traditional Vacation Month

    Provide a modest boost in monthly benefits to retirees to make up for years when no COLA, or only a negligible COLA, was payable. ."Anything that puts you in contact with more people is going to increase your risk," said Cindy Prins, a clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions. "If you compare it to just staying at home and quick trips to the grocery store, you'd have to put it above" that level of risk. .Raise the age—currently 67 for people born in 1960 or later— at which workers become eligible for full retirement benefits; or … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending November 30 2018 2

    The plan that Simpson and Bowles outlined this week includes 0 billion in federal health care spending cuts, including a number of Medicare modifications like raising the eligibility age, increasing means testing for high earners, and reducing payments to providers. Simpson and Bowles also recommended the adoption of the "chained" CPI for the calculation of Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). The two wrote in a joint statement this week: "This plan begins where the president and the Speaker left off. It's more health care than the Democrats would like, and more revenue that Republicans support. But in our view, it is the minimum size necessary to put the debt on a clear downward path." .Commissioner Colvin backed the plan to address the DI program's looming insolvency that was released by President Obama in his recent fiscal 2016 budget blueprint. That proposal would adjust the distribution of payroll tax revenues for a period of five years, so that the DI program would receive 0.9 percent more than it currently is receiving, adding around seventeen years to the trust fund's solvency. .The so-called "Buy American" order could represent a seismic shakeup of the drug industry: No one knows exactly how much of the American drug supply chain is produced abroad, but some experts say that up to 90% of critical generic drugs are made at least partially abroad. … Continued

Prior to 1984, Social Security benefits were excluded from taxation. Today, from 50 to 85 percent of Social Security income can be subject to taxation depending on two income thresholds. For taxpayers with incomes between ,000 and ,000 (individual) or ,000 and ,000 (filing jointly), up to 50 percent of Social Security benefits may be taxable. For individuals with incomes above ,000 or couples filing jointly with incomes above ,000, up to 85 percent of benefits may be taxable. .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. .To get information about Medicare supplement premiums, first select the plan offering the coverage you are interested in, "A" through "N". You can find a listing of these plans on page 82 of the 2017 Medicare & You handbook but not all states will have all plans. Once you have chosen the plan then you can simply compare premiums between insurers. The coverage for each type of plan is just the same, but premiums between various insurers can vary tremendously. .The CMS rule change would also make it more difficult to qualify for nursing home and even home health care coverage after leaving the hospital. To qualify for nursing home coverage, one must spend three days as an inpatient. Outpatient stays do not qualify for Medicare coverage of nursing home stays. Without a qualified hospital inpatient stay, patients may even have trouble finding home health care agencies that would serve them due to Medicare's lower Part B reimbursement rates. .For more information about legislation that would strengthen the Social Security and Medicare programs, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. For frequent updates from TSCL on Capitol Hill and to view photos from this week, follow us on Twitter. .Source: "Spouses Eligible For Higher Retirement Benefits," Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration, March 2014. .It remains to be seen how the CR debate will unfold in the coming weeks, but TSCL will monitor it closely since another government shutdown could have serious effects on Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries. For updates as the situation develops, visit the Legislative News section of our website. .Defense Department Shutting Military Families and Retirees out of Treatment Facilities .Just years before they were set to retire, these individuals learned that they would have significantly lower benefits than originally anticipated. The issue was created by the amendments to the Social Security Act that were signed into law in 1977, and it has compounded over time.