News

  • Benefit Bulletin Septemberoctober 2017

    This week, The Senior Citizens League was pleased to see support grow for six key bills that would strengthen the Social Security and Medicare programs. .The Senior Citizens League enthusiastically supports H.R. 3302 and H.R. 1114, and we will continue to advocate for them tirelessly in months ahead. For more information, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. .Enrollees in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans should take a careful look at changes in their health plan for 201These Medicare health plans have new leeway to offer new supplemental benefits. While some of the new benefits may be valuable to some families, other changes, which give plans greater leeway to "tier" the co-pay structure for healthcare providers, may mean higher out-of-pocket costs when non-preferred or out-of-network providers are used. … Continued

  • Medicare Needs To Be Able To Negotiate Prescription Drug Prices

    The AWI, however, is susceptible to causing permanent benefit reductions when it turns negative, which can happen in years of deep economic recession and extraordinarily high unemployment, as was the case in 2020. Last year, concerns were high that the reductions could be as high as 9.1%, according to an estimate by Social Security's Chief Actuary Stephen Goss. But since then the economy and wages have steadily recovered and the dip in the AWI, if any, is not expected to be so deep. .Much of the debate over federal deficit reduction plans has been focused on overhauling Medicare and making changes to Social Security. But a major funding change is also under consideration for Medicaid, the federal and state program that covers medical care for lower-income individuals including seniors who also receive Medicare. As federal and state governments struggle to address Medicaid funding shortfalls, TSCL is concerned that Notch Babies, and the families who provide care for them, would be among those who would be hit the hardest by funding cuts. .Medicare's 2021 physician fee schedule would've cut payments for radiology by 10%; physical/occupational therapy by 9%; anesthesiology and cardiac surgery by 8%; critical care by 7%; general surgery by 6%, and infectious disease by 4%. … Continued

The bill, known as the Grassley-Wyden bill, would create a rebate system in Medicare Part B and Part D beginning in 2022 for brand-name drugs and biological products with prices that increase faster than inflation. Conservative groups and some Senate Republicans have opposed the rebate system for Part D, the prescription drug benefit program, but not for Part B, the outpatient services program. .TSCL agrees that lawmakers must take action soon to stabilize the individual health insurance market and to bring down skyrocketing prescription drug prices. In the coming months, our legislative team will continue to monitor and support legislation like the Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act (S. 771, H.R. 1776), which would reduce costs and improve care for older Americans. For updates on this bill and others like it, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website or follow TSCL on Twitter. ."The need for an Emergency COLA has never been greater," says Benton. TSCL is meeting with Congress to urge lawmakers to enact emergency legislation to provide a COLA large enough to boost benefits in 2016 and 201In addition, TSCL is asking Members of Congress to pass legislation that would use a senior consumer price index, the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), to more fairly calculate the annual boost. .As we foresaw last week, Congress was not able to finish its work by the end of the day last Friday and had to pass two continuing resolutions (CR) in order to give themselves more time. The current CR runs through next Monday, the 28th. .Legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs remains one of TSCL's top priorities. Although the House of Representatives has passed a bill to accomplish that priority, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) continues to refuse to bring the bill up for consideration. .Expands disability investigation units effective Feb 1, 2016. .And it will not feel like a bargain if we get free or cheap vaccines during a pandemic but pay dearly for annual COVID-19 shots thereafter. .It is indisputable that Americans are, on average, living longer lives. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, someone who turned 65 in 1950 had, on average, 13.9 more years to live, while someone who turned 65 in 2007 had, on average, 18.6 more years to live. The 2009 Social Security Trustees Report also projected that over the next 25 years the life expectancy at age 65 will increase to 19.5 more years. Many cite this as a reason to support increasing the retirement age. Also, by encouraging workers to stay in the work force longer, more revenue will come into Social Security's coffers. .The Senior Citizens League's Legislative Liaison Joe Kluck visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.