News

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending June 21 2013

    On Wednesday, just hours before funding for the federal government was set to expire, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a shutdown like the one that occurred two years ago. The temporary fix will provide enough funding to last through December 11th. .With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and to protect and defend the benefits senior citizens have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association. Visit for more information. .(Washington, DC) – The tax bill being discussed in the U.S. House contains what may be only a fleeting benefit for middle class and older Americans, warns The Senior Citizens League. "The changes under consideration may provide some modestly lower federal income taxes at first, but the benefits for many people would be short - lived," says The Senior Citizens League's Social Security and Medicare policy analyst, Mary Johnson. "Older middle - income Americans could shoulder a disproportionate share of taxes under these changes, and get pushed more quickly into higher tax brackets than they are today," says The Senior Citizens League's Social Security and Medicare policy analyst, Mary Johnson. … Continued

  • Drug Prices Paid By Medicare Three Times Higher Than Medicaid

    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. .This study looks at 39 expenditures that are typical for people age 65 and up, comparing the growth in the prices of these goods and services to the growth in the annual COLAs. It includes cost increases in Medicare premiums and out of pocket costs that aren't tracked under the index currently used to calculate the COLA. .Alexandria, VA (October 18, 2011) Irene H., a senior living in Central Virginia, will achieve a milestone this fall that few other 86-year olds can boast of. The thrifty senior, who takes three prescription medications every day, including an expensive brand-name eye drop for glaucoma, will cut her prescription drug costs by more than ,000 since 200Her secret? Every year during the fall Medicare Open Enrollment period, Irene learns about the changes in her drug plan for the upcoming year, and then compares all her options for drug coverage. She changes plans when she finds better coverage at a better cost. … Continued

The Drug Plan Finder can help you get very specific information because you can input the prescriptions you currently use and then find the lowest cost plan that covers your drugs. However, the lowest cost plan may not always be your wisest choice, especially since your doctor may change your prescriptions in the future or you may be close to the doughnut hole coverage gap. You may benefit by spending a little more and getting a plan that covers 95% of all drugs and covers at least generics in the gap. .In addition to ensuring that we insulate seniors from fraud, we must support older Americans seeking to remain an active part of the workforce. Earlier this year, I worked with Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) to introduce the Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs Act to create job opportunities for seniors who have not yet reached retirement but possess years of business experience. My bipartisan bill will expand successful collaborative efforts between AARP and the Small Business Administration that offer mentoring and training to people over age 50 seeking to expand or start a small business. Older workers, once unemployed, are more likely than others to remain unemployed, which is why we need to revitalize our economy by supporting those who found themselves out of a job before retirement. .The plan contained a list of 50 military treatment facilities that would see changes in some way over the next several years in the services they offer. Of those, 37 would stop seeing military family members and retirees altogether. At least 12 states would have more than one treatment facility changed with regard to its mission. .The billion could be financed without taking money from the Social Security Trust Fund. One way is through reduction of pork barrel spending and government waste. In the fiscal year 2001 budget alone, pork "watch-dog" Senator John McCain (AZ-R) estimated that the government would spend a record billion in pork-barrel projects. .What Could A COLA of No Less Than 3 Percent Mean For You? .Such logic would be disastrous if it were applied to a successful COVID vaccine. COVID-19 has shut down countless businesses, creating record-high unemployment. And the medical consequences of severe COVID-19 mean weeks of highly expensive intensive care. .Last year President Trump proposed lowering the prices of certain Medicare drug prices by tying those prices to lower prices paid in other developed countries. Under that proposal, prices would have been lower than they are now, but would still be a certain percentage higher than they are in other countries. The President was not satisfied with that idea, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. On Wednesday Azar said the President wants the proposal changed so that prices in the United States are even lower than they are in other countries. .I retired seven years ago at age 65 when I started Social Security and Medicare. I have difficulty budgeting my healthcare costs. I never seem to learn what they will be until I start getting the bills. Can you help? . Send an email to your Members of Congress. This is an election year, and the last thing they want to hear is that health insurers are blaming COVID-19 for the steep price increases. You can get email addresses on TSCL's website here: http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8854/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=10560. Or, you can look up your Representative and send emails at: www.house.gov and Senators at: www.senate.gov.