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  • Senior Citizens League Opposes Use Of Social Security Funds For Tax Cut Press Release Feed

    Older adults age 65 and up have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-1Because retirees depend on Social Security for a major share of their income, they tend to spend their benefits on essentials right away. We feel that boosting the inflation adjustment is an important way to get crucial extra cash to older Americans and back into our nation's economy. .In addition, one new cosponsor signed on to the Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures (PRIME) Act (H.R. 2305). The new cosponsor is Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-7), and the total now sits at sixty-six. If signed into law, the PRIME Act would take a number of steps to comprehensively prevent fraud, waste, and abuse within the two programs – a problem that TSCL believes must be addressed in order to ensure that scarce program dollars are being spent properly. .If the COLA were calculated using the methodology used in 1990, this year's COLA would not be 1.7 percent – it would be 5.2 percent. And if the COLA were calculated using the 1980 methodology, this year's COLA would be 9.4 percent. As a result of the CPI's manipulation over the past three decades, Social Security beneficiaries have lost over 20 percent of their purchasing power, according to our research. Next year's projected zero COLA will put them even further behind. … Continued

  • Congressional Corner The Payroll Tax Cuts Not The Problem Privatization Is

    It turns out than among seniors who are not vaccinated, the biggest problem may be access to the vaccine as opposed to opposition to getting the shot. .If adopted, H.R. 1170 would strengthen and expand the Social Security program by providing beneficiaries with a monthly benefit boost, basing cost-of-living adjustments on the CPI-E, and setting the Special Minimum Benefit at 125 percent of the poverty line. It would also apply the payroll tax to all income – including investment income – over 0,000. .Some deficit cutters contend that the out-of-pocket costs that Medicare beneficiaries pay will have to go up and seniors should pay more for their Medicare benefits. "This survey is powerful testimony to those who hold such beliefs," says TSCL Chairman Larry Hyland. "This survey indicates that they don't understand how much seniors already spend for their healthcare, and how many have already cut back," Hyland adds. "With the majority of seniors depending on Social Security for at least half of their income, and healthcare costs increasing several times faster than benefits, few beneficiaries can afford to pay any more than they already do for their healthcare," he notes. … Continued

I recently received a notice from Social Security that says I've been overpaid because I earned more than the allowable amount. I started benefits at age 62 after losing my job. I finally found a new one and I've been working for the past two years. I'm now 6When I first tried to report my earnings at our local Social Security office, I was told that the Social Security Administration would let me know what would be taken out of my benefits. The notice I received says I was overpaid by more than ,000! Now it looks like I won't get any Social Security payment for months. .Unlike many other organizations TSCL accepts no government funding -- this leaves us free to truly represent the interests of supporters like you. .Transportation (new vehicles, airline fares, gasoline, motor vehicle insurance) .The high cost of treatment is a frequently cited barrier by those who are not getting the dental care they need. Elizabeth H., a retiree living in Colorado told us "I do not have the ,000 I was told that I needed to get my teeth fixed. They need to either be pulled and a bridge put in, or root canaled. Being on a limited income, I do not see getting any of this done, and so it affects my health negatively. Without dental care, I'm not as healthy as I could be." .Support Grows for Social Security Fairness Act .To see if your Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings during the spring recess, click HERE or call their local offices. You can find contact information HERE. .Which Medigap plan is best for you? To learn about Medigap plans and the coverage they offer you can find a chart comparing the coverage of plans A through N in the "2016 Medicare & You" publication on page 10You can download a copy online at www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800-Medicare ( 7) to request a copy. .In addition to a growing number of people affected by the tax, those who are affected pay a growing share of their benefits in taxes as well. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 52 million Social Security beneficiaries paid 6.7% of their Social Security benefits as income tax in 2014, and projects that will rise in the future to 10% or more. .Proposals to reform Medicare have been floating around the halls of Congress since 2010, but none have been as radical or risky as one recently released by four prominent Senators. In an attempt to curb Medicare spending, the group came up with a plan that would phase out Medicare completely, and it would do so at the expense of current enrollees, beginning as early as 201The proposal, introduced by Senators Rand Paul (KY), Mike Lee (UT), Lindsey Graham (SC), and Jim DeMint (SC), would transition beneficiaries into the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program – the same health program available to Members of Congress.