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  • Best Ways Save December 2018

    Take A Look At This New Chart From The Senior Citizens League .The potential cost of illegal immigration on federal benefit programs is for now still flying under the radar as political candidates vie for votes. Latinos are becoming a key electorate group. In 2010, The National Council of La Raza estimated that 20 million Latinos were eligible to vote in the 2010 elections — representing the fastest electorate growth rate of any group in the U.S. .Sen. Sherrod Brown Introduces CPI-E Bill … Continued

  • Category Legislative News Page 43

    The Social Security Notch is the unexpectedly steep drop in benefits that affects people born from 1917 through 192This generation of seniors receives lower benefits than other seniors who had nearly identical work and earnings histories. .This week, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill and those in the House passed legislation that will reduce prescription drug costs at pharmacies. In addition, the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee met to discuss information technology within the Social Security program, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw two key bills gain support. .While inflation varies significantly depending on the area of the country in which people live, locality - based payment rates are not calculated on living costs or specific price levels like the COLA. According to a story appearing on the Federal News Network's website, this is a common misconception about locality pay. In fact, consumer inflation is not even a factor when setting locality pay. … Continued

Healthcare researchers are questioning the surge in medical testing, particularly the aggressive use of advanced radiology tests like CTs, MRIs and ultrasounds. Their use has become routine, but doctors are not necessarily diagnosing more diseases and the tests can expose patients to high levels of radiation that can cause cancer. Some critics blame "defensive medicine" to avoid malpractice suits, but that's only part of the problem. Some critics say that the tests are becoming a crutch as doctors have less and less time to spend with patients. And all say that the profit motives give doctors incentives to over prescribe the tests. .The lack of growth in Social Security benefits is eroding the buying power of more than 60 million people who depend on Social Security. There was no annual boost again this year. But according to a recent TSCL survey of more than 1,100 people age 62 and over, retiree household expenses continued to climb. Some 72 percent of survey respondents reported their monthly expenses grew by more than in 2015. .An abrupt jump in inflation in February and March of this year wiped out a short-lived improvement in the buying power of Social Security benefits in 2020, according to TSCL's latest study on rising senior costs. 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, while consumer prices flatlined in 2020 through January 2021, costs are now sharply increasing. .TSCL supports legislation that would strengthen the COLA three ways: .TSCL is mounting a campaign that strongly urges seniors nationwide to speak out against benefit cuts. "We hope you'll sign and return the petitions we are mailing to supporters against the 'Chained COLA'," says TSCL's Executive Director, Shannon Benton. "Chaining the COLA is a 2 billion cut that will reduce your benefits by as much as 9% over the course of a retirement," Benton notes. .The Senior Citizens League believes Congress can prevent the triggering of the Social Security hold harmless provision and eliminate spiking Medicare premiums entirely by providing an adequate COLA. This includes providing an emergency COLA or boost for 2021. .In 2015, the last time a zero COLA was announced for the following year, the base Part B premium increase was estimated to be 52 percent.[2] While an increase of that size is not expected for 2021, any double digit increase in Medicare premiums would be unsustainable for many older households whose retirement savings have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus recession. .On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to question Congressman Tom Price (GA-6), an orthopedic surgeon from Georgia who was nominated by President Trump to become the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If confirmed, Congressman Price will lead the agency that has jurisdiction over Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and many other critical health programs. .(Washington, DC) – Seventy-eight percent of retirees think Congress should cap what Medicare beneficiaries must spend out-of-pocket on prescription drugs, according to new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). Unlike other types of insurance, Medicare Part D has no annual out-of-pocket maximum. This leaves the sickest retirees spending hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in pharmacy costs for prescription medications every year.