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    "Opting out" of a former employer's coverage on occasion might be able to save you money, but it requires careful cost comparisons and sound guidance. Never make any change without first getting the unbiased advice from a trained Medicare benefits counselor. The service is provided free of charge through your State Health Insurance Program and is available at many local Agencies on Aging. Check your local yellow pages. .Understand how much risk the insurer shifts to you. Deductibles can commonly range from 0 to ,500, but claims for severe weather disasters can find you responsible for paying as much as 5% of your home's insured value (up to 10 percent in Florida) before your insurer covers damage expenses. Example: Your home is insured for 0,000 and your policy calls for a 5% deductible for hurricanes. You would pay ,500 out-of-pocket on any storm claim prior to your insurer covering the rest. .Last year, I co-founded the bipartisan House Retirement Security Caucus in order to raise awareness about the importance of properly planning for retirement (and the pitfalls of not doing so). As co-chairman of the caucus, I am committed to making sure the federal government does not make retirement planning more complicated than it should be. Just recently, in response to the Department of Labor's proposed "fiduciary rule" that could restrict Americans' access to financial advice, I voted for the SAVERS Act (H.R. 4294), which would protect such access while also helping to ensure that financial advisors act in the best interest of the retirees and families they serve. … Continued

  • Update For February 6 2021

    TSCL enthusiastically supports the five bills listed above and we were pleased to see support grow for them on Capitol Hill this week. For more information, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. To thank your representative for becoming a cosponsor or to request their support for legislation, visit our "Contact Congress" page. .Recently we heard from Susan Gross, a 66-year old retired office assistant living in Central Virginia, who spends most of her day caregiving. Her 46-year-old son. who is disabled from cerebral palsy, lives with her, as does her mother, who is now 9All three receive their healthcare coverage through Medicare. .This week, the Senate's Gang of Eight was busy defending its comprehensive immigration reform plan, and The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw two key bills gain support. … Continued

Your daughter can get free one-on-one counseling for her father-in-law through your State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). For more information about the Medicare Part B delayed enrollment penalty visit the Medicare interactive website of the Medicare Rights Center. .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. .The cost of veterinarian services is growing nearly three times faster than Social Security benefits. While retirees are making do with a 1.6% COLA in 2020, veterinarian services increased 4.7% from January 2019 to January 2020. Over the same period, costs for physicians of human patients rose just 0.7%. .Two Key Bills Gain Cosponsors .Will the Government Shut Down in 10 Days? .On Tuesday – three months later – a panel of three judges rejected the Obama administration's request in a 2-1 decision. They ruled that the state of Texas does have the legal standing to challenge President Obama's executive orders since implementing them will be costly to the state. .Most people don't know where to begin, and the process is designed to overwhelm you before you start. You, however, do not have to be one of these people. All you need to do is to call and set up a free counseling session with a local Medicare benefits counselor. Do this NOW. Locate the program in your area on the State Health Insurance Program website — https://www.shiptacenter.org. .Two Courts Halt Rule Tying Certain Drug Prices to Other Countries .This week, lawmakers in the House adjourned for a week-long recess, while those in the Senate heard from Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who was recently nominated by President Obama to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Meanwhile, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw .