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  • Could We Have Another Year Without A Cola Maybe

    This will give them an additional week to try and get something done. If they can't by then, they'll either pass another short-term CR giving them additional time to work until probably Christmas, or they'll give up and go home for Christmas and push everything off to the new Congress and new President in January. .Debt among older Americans is rising and affecting a growing number of retirees. According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, the percentage of households with debt headed by an adult age 65 and older increased from 41.5% in 1992, to 60% in 201Medical debt poses the biggest challenge over the course of a retirement. .As we suspected, Congress has now officially admitted they won't finish their work on time and once again will have to pass what amounts to emergency legislation to keep the government open. Actually, to say it was emergency legislation is probably not accurate because operating this way has become fairly normal now. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending June 28 2019

    That was the second ruling in a week to delay the policy. A federal judge in Maryland had ordered on Dec. 23 that the rule, which was slated to take effect Jan. 1, be paused for two weeks. .There are two points to remember about the first rule: Medicare has always been barred from negotiating prices directly with drug companies; and other countries regulate their health care spending more heavily, including for prescription drugs. .On the other hand, critics of the proposal argue that people can't always determine the timing of the application for Social Security benefits. They say that people are often forced to retire earlier than planned due to health problems, layoffs, new technology, or needing to care for one's parent or spouse. They argue that raising the age for full benefits results in reducing the early, age 62 benefit even more than it already is today. … Continued

Why does that happen? .TSCL was pleased to see support grow for H.R. 1902, H.R. 2575, and H.R. 4841 this week, and we will continue to advocate for them tirelessly in the months ahead. For more information, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. For updates on the progress of these and other bills, follow The Senior Citizens League on Twitter. .Social Security is a promise our country must keep. If you work and pay into the system, you should have the opportunity to retire with dignity and respect. This promise is part of what makes America exceptional — the idea that after a lifetime of work, Americans deserve security in retirement. .In April, lawmakers on the Republican Study Committee proposed a budget blueprint that would reform the Medicare program and cut Social Security benefits by adopting the "chained" CPI, eliminating the COLA for some seniors, and raising the eligibility age. Did you support this dramatic budget blueprint, and if so, why? .Just years before they were set to retire, these individuals learned that they would receive significantly lower benefits than originally anticipated. The problem has grown and compounded over time, and TSCL believes that in order to make the program more equitable, some compensation for the injustice should be provided. We enthusiastically support Rep. Meng's Notch Fairness Act, and we were pleased to see one new cosponsor sign on this week. .The opinions expressed in "Congressional Corner" reflect the views of the writer and are not necessarily those of The Senior Citizens League. .Both retirees and the disabled spend a very significant portion of their incomes on healthcare costs. For many, health insurance premiums are the most significant expense that they incur every month. That includes what the government automatically deducts for Medicare Part B, and what individuals shell out for a Medicare Advantage plan or Medigap policy, and Part D drug plan. According to a policy brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation, premiums account for the largest share of Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket health spending. Four-in-ten Medicare beneficiaries spend more than 10 percent of their income on premiums alone. To get a better idea of what the government does track, here's a list from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS has classified all expenditure items into more than 200 categories, arranged into eight major groups. Major groups and examples of categories in each include: .Medicare Part D is a rip off. My wife and I will pay more for our medication now, because we cannot afford to take the risk of not enrolling. We were getting most of our drugs from Canada, but under Part D we not only have to pay a monthly premium, but also have co-pays, plus much higher prices for our medication to meet the deductible or if we hit the doughnut hole. Forcing us to do this is simply not fair. What happened to the legislation to legalize the importation of drugs from Canada? .But a COVID-19 vaccine will have an actual price tag. And given the prevailing business-centric model of American drug pricing, it could well be budget breaking, perhaps making it unavailable to many.