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  • Congressional Corner Planning For The Future

    August Recess Continues for House Lawmakers .I would like to know the deductible of my Medicare. .The Supplemental Poverty Measure reflects out-of-pocket medical spending and adjusts for the cost of living depending on where you live which are not taken into account by the official poverty measure. Here are some key findings from the analysis: … Continued

  • Q A April 2019

    A majority of seniors 65 and older who receive Social Security depend on it for at least 50 percent of their total income, and one in three beneficiaries rely on it for 90 percent or more of their total income. TSCL is fighting proposals to cut COLAs. TSCL believes that seniors could receive a more fair COLA if the government were to use a consumer price index that more closely tracked the spending patterns of seniors. .For this reason, TSCL announced its support for the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act back in March, and our legislative team has been busy advocating for it on Capitol Hill. The bill's sponsors expect the House Ways and Means Committee to take it up before the end of the year, and they are hopeful that both chambers will pass it shortly thereafter. For updates, visit and, on our new Facebook page, at www.Facebook.com/SeniorsLeague. .(Washington, DC) – Older Americans overwhelmingly support legislation that would allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, according to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). The online survey, which had over 1,234 participants, found that 88 percent support tying prescription drug prices to what other industrialized countries, such as Great Britain, Canada and Japan, pay for the same drug. … Continued

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. .In addition to a growing number of people affected by the tax, those who are affected pay a growing share of their benefits in taxes as well. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 52 million Social Security beneficiaries paid 6.7% of their Social Security benefits as income tax in 2014, and projects that will rise in the future to 10% or more. .According to the National Council on Aging, 34% of older households hold credit card balances, and another 29% still owe money on a mortgage, home equity line of credit, or both. Digging out requires work and making changes. Reducing debt requires increasing income, restructuring your budget, and other changes. Here are some things to consider: .Please, share this video with your friends (use the "Share" button above or copy the URL into an email). .Social Security is the largest single source of income for older Americans, providing the majority of income for half of retirees, and at least 90% of income for 18% of retirees, according to another think tank, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. .This week, one Member of Congress introduced legislation that could make the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) a more accurate measure of inflation. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw support grow for two key bills. .Social Security arose again at the hearing when Committee Member James Clyburn (SC) commented on the payroll tax cap, which is currently set at 6,800. He suggested that the cap be raised to cover 90 percent of income – as it did in the early 1980s – in an effort to restore the program to solvency. Some Members scowled disapprovingly at this proposal and it is still unclear whether the Committee will even touch Social Security, but if they do, this option could appear on the short-list. Clyburn asked Barthold to research the potential effects of raising the wage cap and to report back to the Joint Committee. .Both bills were adopted by the Senate earlier this year and by the House two weeks ago. At a signing ceremony on Wednesday, President Trump said: "This is very strong legislation to end these ‘gag clauses' once and for all … Our citizens deserve to know the lowest price available at our pharmacies, and now that's what they'll be getting." .The Senate was back in Washington this week, holding hearings and confirming judicial and executive branch nominees. And while those are official duties of the Senate, no new legislation was passed.