News

  • Legislative Update January 2021

    In addition to advocating for these three important issues, Legislative Liaison Joe Kluck delivered letters to lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee urging them to advance comprehensive proposals that would enhance Social Security benefits and strengthen the solvency of the Trust Funds past 203Both the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 860) and the Social Security Expansion Act (H.R. 1170) would reform the program responsibly, without cutting benefits for current or future retirees. .Sources: "Issues and Challenges In Measuring And Improving The Quality Of Health Care," The Congressional Budget Office, December 201"What Is Value-Based Healthcare?" NEJM Catalyst, January 1, 201"After Single Payer Failed, Vermont Embarks On A Big Health Care Experiment," Carolyn Johnson, The Washington Post, September 17, 2017. .In 2008, an audit by the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Inspector General found that spouses did not always receive the higher retirement benefits due them. Although 18,768 spouses were identified as eligible for higher retirement benefits in that audit and the SSA developed a notification letter, the agency took no further action to notify beneficiaries – citing "limited resources." As a result, these spouses never received the higher retirement benefits for which they were eligible. … Continued

  • Legislative Update Social Security Threatened By Tax Holiday Extension

    This is a major blow to military retirees whose reasons for settling around a military base included getting the health care they were promised when they agreed to serve a career in the Armed Forces. .I Thought My Co-pay Would Be Why Did I Have To Pay 3.45? .In April, House lawmakers voted on a balanced budget amendment to the constitution that would have been disastrous for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries if adopted. Did you support this drastic measure, and if so, why? … Continued

At this time, the FDA has authorized one COVID-19 self-test to be completely used and processed at home. You will risk unknowingly spreading COVID-19 or not getting treated appropriately if you use an unauthorized test. .Sources: "Humana Inc. Overcharged Medicare Nearly 0 Million, Federal Audit Finds," Fred Schulte, NPR, April 20, 202"Insurers Running Medicare Advantage Plans Overbill Taxpayers By Billions As Feds Struggle to Stop It," Fred Schulte and Lauren Weber, Kaiser Health News, July 16, 201"Reducing Medicare Advantage Overpayments," Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, February, 23, 2021. .This week, progress stalled on a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past September 30th. In addition, one Senate committee held a hearing on maximizing Social Security benefits. .To address this issue, my office put together a two-pronged approach both locally and nationally. First, we held a resources fair in South Los Angeles, focusing on identifying and combatting senior scams with service providers that offered direct assistance for attendees. Second, I introduced a bipartisan resolution to call attention to the barrage of fraud attempts that seniors face nationwide. .The ,400 stimulus checks will help millions of retirees to cope at a time when Social Security checks don't buy as much due to low COLAs while food and energy costs are climbing. The Senior Citizens League supports boosting Social Security benefits and tying the annual COLA to a consumer price index that more closely reflects the spending patterns of older Americans. To learn more and participate in surveys visit . .On Wednesday, lawmakers on the House Budget Committee held a hearing titled: "Keeping Our Promise to America's Seniors: Retirement Security in the 21st Century." Committee members heard from several expert Social Security witnesses, including Congressman John Larson (CT-1) – Chairman of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee. .Medicare Therapy Caps: A Long Battle for Patient Access .But that's not all Congress must do before October The Secretary of the Treasury has warned that if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling very soon the government will default on its bills sometime in October. The "full faith and credit" of the U.S. government is at stake here and the repercussions of a government default are not totally known but they could be disastrous. .If the bill is going to reach the President's desk for his signature the House will have to agree to the changes the Senate made and pass it one more time. It may take a couple of weeks if that is to happen, however, because the House will not be back in session until the week of April 12.