News

  • Benefit Bulletin April May 2020

    Proponents of cutting benefits argue that Social Security, as it is currently structured, is unstainable because there are fewer workers to support current retirees. Social Security is estimated to run short of funds in about 15 years. Without changes and soon, Social Security benefits would have to be reduced by about 22% to match the amount of revenues that the program receives. .What can you do? Sign one of TSCL's current petitions. .Irene is the first to say she wouldn't know where to begin when it comes to figuring out the best deal for her drug coverage. To accomplish this she gets unbiased advice and counseling. Her neighbor, Mary Johnson, is a Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). Johnson, who has assisted seniors to compare and enroll in plans since the start of Part D in 2006, says "the cost differences between plans can be huge - Irene saved about ,276 in 2011 alone." … Continued

  • Retiree Expenses 119 Month Cola Less 45 Month

    And, in case you had any doubts about why you need that Medicare Advantage plan in the first place, here are the general types of costs if you have Medicare Advantage plan coverage compared with having traditional Medicare with a Medigap supplement. .Source: "Senators Introduced Medicare Reform Plan: The Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act," Paul.Senate.Gov, March 15, 2012. .Senior housing experts say they frequently hear clients say they want to live in their own homes. But over time, it can become a great burden, especially when people don't have family that lives close by. Health and physical changes can make it difficult to climb stairs, keep the home clean, and keep up with paying bills. There may be a growing need for help with simple chores like driving to the pharmacy or grocery store. Home maintenance and repairs can even become a source of exploitation from unscrupulous vendors. … Continued

In 2018, the Part B premium remained 4 per month. To cover that premium, Barbara, whose Part B premium was 8.00, needed a COLA of at least .00. That was more than the 2% COLA boosted her Social Security benefits. Once again her Part B premium was adjusted and in 2018 she pays a Part B premium of 7.00 per month. In 2019 her COLA will be high enough to catch up to the Part B premium of 5.50 and still leave a small boost for her net Social Security benefits. .In March, the Trump administration paused routine nursing home inspections, which typically occur about once a year. Instead, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asked that state agencies focus on inspecting facilities for their infection control practices, such as whether staff wash their hands or properly wear protective clothing before tending to multiple patients. .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. .Without passage of the waiver legislation the Office of Management and Budget will impose the Medicare payment cuts at the end of the current congressional session. While Social Security, low-income programs such as Medicaid, and veterans' benefits are exempt from sequestration, Medicare payments can be reduced up to 4%. .TSCL recently asked their members and supporters how no COLA in 2016 would impact their budgets. "They told us they will struggle to cover the costs of prescription drugs, car repairs, property taxes, rising food costs, and even their most basic needs next year," Cates says. "Simply put, Americans living on a fixed income cannot afford to go without a COLA, and we are concerned about the impact recent years of record - low COLAs will have on the long-term adequacy of benefits for millions of people who depend on COLAs," Cates explains. .Despite our nation's recent partisan political divisions, two surveys by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) found high levels of consensus on five proposals that would strengthen Social Security and Medicare funding and benefits. The proposals would decrease Medicare out - of - pocket costs on prescription drugs for beneficiaries and provide modestly higher, and more adequate, Social Security benefits. "There are more areas of agreement from retirees of different political persuasions than many might believe," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. .The definition of disability under Social Security is different from other programs. Social Security only pays benefits for total disability, and none are paid for partial or a short-term disability. To determine if your husband is disabled, the Social Security Administration will examine the following: .TSCL strongly supports legislation like the Notch Fairness Act that would provide Notch babies with modest compensation, and we were pleased to see support grow this week. .Insurance Industry Predicts Premium Increase