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  • Legislative Update Septemberoctober 2017

    Francis Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, has said the government has some intellectual property rights. Moderna seems to dispute that view, saying it is "not aware of any I.P. that would prevent us from commercializing" a COVID-19 vaccine. .There are two types of U.S. debt: debt held by the public, like U.S. savings bonds, and debt held by government accounts. The Social Security Trust Fund is the single biggest government account holding U.S. debt, with the federal government owing the Trust Fund about .8 trillion. Since 2010, the program has paid out more in benefits than it receives in cash revenues, requiring the U.S. treasury to borrow to pay the interest due on the non-marketable bonds or I.O.U.s held by the Trust Funds — money that is needed to pay the benefits of current beneficiaries. According to a recent TSCL poll, 95 percent of older voters say that money owed to the Social Security Trust Fund should be repaid in full. .Senior Medicare Patrol Saved Millions in 2013 … Continued

  • Q August 2016

    The Medicare Trustees estimated in their April 2020 annual report that the base 2021 Part B premium would rise by .70 (6 percent), from 4.60 to 3.30.[9] The annual report was written prior to the coronavirus national emergency and does not incorporate the effects of the coronavirus caused recession, the interaction with an extremely low, or even no COLA, and the potential triggering of hold harmless in its forecast. .The measure's inclusion in the stimulus is likely to be a point of contention between Republicans and Democrats as they work to hash out a compromise this week that will address state and local funding, money for schools and extending expiring unemployment payments. .Last week TSCL was contacted by the office of Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Wash.) seeking our endorsement of legislation he is introducing titled the "Social Security Stabilization and Enhancement Act." Rep. DeFazio says this bill is a fix for the looming Social Security Trust Fund insolvency. … Continued

You might better be able to help your brother by reminding him of doctor visits and seeing that he gets to appointments. You can also help by monitoring his care plan, and making sure he understands how and when to take prescriptions and any other forms of therapy. .The toll free number for the VA Hotline is . .In yet a third judicial ruling, The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a rule by the Trump Administration that hospitals will have to publicly disclose the prices they negotiate with insurance companies. .Last year, prescription drug prices grew by 12% nationwide. A rate that high hasn't occurred since 200What do you believe should be done to manage the growing cost increases of prescription drugs? .More than 30% of all Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans last year. The federal government pays plans a monthly fee to deliver all their healthcare needs — a fee that's based for the most part on risk scores. In 2015 plans like Humana received on average about ,900 per person for the year. According to government estimates, Medicare made nearly billion in improper payments to Medicare Advantage plans from 2008 through 2013, mostly due to inflated risk scores. .TSCL supports legislation that would repeal the WEP such as H.R. 3934, the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation introduced by Representative Kevin Brady (TX-8). .Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (NV) told reporters on Wednesday, "The CR is not done; it's a work in progress … This isn't going to be wrapped up in the next couple hours, that's for sure." In addition, Senator John Thune (SD) said, "I think [Majority Leader McConnell's] goal all along has been to try and get something considered by the end of this week, to try and wrap things up. But I'll just tell you, my own view is that, based on past experience, I don't think we'll get there this week. I think this probably spills into next week." .In the coming weeks, TSCL will be keeping a close eye on the confirmation of Congressman Mulvaney, and we will be posting updates about the process on Facebook, on Twitter, and here in the Legislative News section of our website. .Last July 24 President Trump announced his intention to sign four executive orders regarding prescription drugs, including one that would tie the cost of drugs in the US to drug prices in other countries. At the same time, he said he would delay signing the order and give pharmaceutical companies, which have vigorously opposed such a move, time to come up with their own plan to lower drug prices.