News

  • Legislative Update March 2011 Advisor

    There is already reason to worry that our deliverance from the coronavirus will cost us plenty. BARDA paid AstraZeneca up to .2 billion toward development, production, and delivery of its candidate vaccine, in order to secure 300 million doses in October. Britain paid the equivalent of million to secure 100 million doses in September — one-fifth of what the United States government agreed to pay per dose. .One of TSCL's top priorities again this year is for legislation to reduce the costs of prescription drugs. It is outrageous that we in the United States pay some of the highest prices in the developed world for the prescription drugs that we urgently need to preserve our health. .To help protect the buying power of benefits, TSCL supports legislation that would provide a modest boost in benefits, base COLAs on the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) and guarantee a COLA no lower than 3 percent. To learn more, visit . … Continued

  • Legislative Update Week Ending March 30 2018

    Your husband would need to apply for Social Security disability benefits to learn if his medical condition meets the Social Security Administration's definition of disability. But before getting started, it's important to understand your choices, since your husband is also old enough to start Social Security retirement benefits. .Allow states, wholesalers, and pharmacies to import FDA-approved drugs from foreign countries and sell them in the U.S. Trump has long complained that countries where the government sets the price of drugs are taking advantage of American consumers. The order includes a special provision to allow wholesalers and pharmacies to re-import insulin and biological drugs. .New Analysis Says Social Security/Medicare in Worse Shape Now than Earlier This Year … Continued

Currently doctors are paid for every service they provide, giving a big incentive for wasteful duplication. Patients wind up getting repeated tests, X-rays, CT scans and procedures involving expensive computerized equipment. .The Senior Citizens League enthusiastically supports the Audiology Patient Choice Act and the Social Security Fairness Act, and we were pleased to see support grow for them this week. For more information about these and other TSCL-backed bills, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. .Be suspicious of products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases. .What you can do: Public opinion can sway votes in Congress! Take TSCL's 2012 Senior Survey. TSCL will publicize the results and share your comments with elected lawmakers in our visits to Capitol Hill. .Missing Medicare Part B Enrollment Deadline Triggers Penalties .Does Medicare Cover Eyeglasses? .But bigger deficit reduction would be possible if Social Security taxes were made more equitable. Under current law, high-income earners — people with earnings higher than Social Security's taxable maximum of 7,000— pay nothing on earnings over that amount. In other words, someone earning ,117,000 pays no Social Security taxes on the one million above 7,000. Yet workers earning less than 7,000 pay Social Security taxes on every dime of their wages. The CBO estimates that simply raising the taxable maximum to 7,500 would bring in 0 billion in new Social Security revenues through 202Taxing all earnings would eliminate up to 90 percent of Social Security's funding problems. .For those Social Security recipients concerned about making ends meet going forward, here are some tips: .Medicare Advantage plans offer comprehensive hospitalization, doctor, and outpatient services through selected network providers, and most also include coverage of prescription drugs. Typically, premiums for Medicare Advantage plans can be 60% less than premiums for a Medigap supplement and a prescription drug plan. Many also offer extra benefits that are not covered by Medicare, like vision or dental benefits.