News

  • Legislation For Coverage Of Hearing Aids Under The Medicare Recently Introduced In Congress

    On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy held a hearing titled: "Examining the Importance of Paid Family Leave for American Working Families." Those on the subcommittee heard from two of their colleagues – Senator Joni Ernst (IA) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) – as well as three expert witnesses. .TSCL will continue to monitor the process since it will have an impact on millions of older Americans. For example, Medicare Part D beneficiaries who fall into the coverage gap – or "doughnut hole" – will face higher costs for their prescription drugs. For updates on the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, visit the Legislative News section of our website, or follow TSCL on Facebook or Twitter. .You must follow Medicare guidelines for receiving the services to ensure coverage. Find out how often you should receive a service. Some preventive services are covered only once every few years, others are covered only if you meet specific criteria. To learn more read "Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services," CMS Product No. 101Download a copy at www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800- Medicare ( 7). … Continued

  • Category Issues Medicare Part D Faqs

    TSCL's Board of Trustees on Capitol Hill .This week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing on rising prescription drug costs. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw two key bills gain support in the House of Representatives. .More headaches are on the way this tax season. For the second year in a row, the Making Work Pay Tax Credit didn't work as planned for an estimated 13.4 million taxpayers, according to the Treasury Department's Inspector General. Seniors are high on the "Most Negatively Affected List," and may wind up owing taxes and even a penalty. … Continued

This week, two new cosponsors – Reps. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (NY-25) and Joyce Beatty (OH-3) – signed on to the Strengthening Social Security Act (H.R. 3118), bringing the total up fifty-four. If signed into law, the bill would reform the Social Security program in three ways: it would adjust the benefit formula, resulting in more generous monthly benefits; it would adopt the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), resulting in more accurate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and it would lift the cap on income subject to the payroll tax. TSCL enthusiastically supports H.R. 3118 since it would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund responsibly, without cutting benefits for seniors. We were pleased to see support grow for it this week. .The judge's order stops the implementation of the rule until the completion of the notice and comment process. ."If more retired taxpayers aren't paying taxes on their Social Security benefits, that's good news for their tax liability, but would also mean their adjusted gross income was lower than in 2019," says Johnson. "And that could mean those households might be living too close for comfort to the federal poverty level," she adds. .TSCL enthusiastically supports the Credit for Caring Act, the Social Security Fairness Act, and the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act, and we were pleased to see support grow for each one this week. To receive frequent progress updates on these and other Social Security, Medicare, and family caregiving bills, follow TSCL on Twitter. .These benefits are far from generous. Compared to other industrialized nations, we have one of the most paltry social insurance systems in the world. Seniors have an average Social Security benefit of only ,328 a month. This is not enough to keep someone in the middle class. .EyeCare America®. This is a service of the Foundations of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which provides free eye exams and up to one year of care for low-income individuals who qualify. Learn more at www.eyecareamerica.org or call 1-877-877-6327. .Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com .TSCL agrees with members of the subcommittee and we share their concerns about fraud within the DI program. We feel strongly that the federal government must administer the necessary oversight to ensure that scarce program dollars are being spent properly. In the months ahead, we will continue to advocate on Capitol Hill for fraud prevention and for the administrative funding needed to make meaningful progress. .To learn more about your Medicare benefits download a copy of the "2011 Medicare & You" handbook by visiting www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE ( 7).