News

  • Legislative Update For The Week Ending August 19 2011

    According to that study, during a recent five-year period, Medicare spending on hundreds of medicines to treat various neurologic conditions, such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, rose 50%, but the number of claims increased only 8%. ."We are here today because of COVID, and its consequences. Consequences that have worsened the inadequacies that have existed for a long time in our Social Security system. .Actuaries aren't in agreement over how many more years of solvency Social Security has left. The 2018 Social Security Trustees Report estimates that the Social Security Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2034, about 15 years from now. The more pessimistic Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the depletion date would be two years sooner in 2032, only 13 years away. If Congress does nothing, and allows the Social Security Trust Fund to become insolvent, the program could still pay benefits, but benefits would be cut to coincide with the amount of revenue received — by about 25%. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending March 15 2019

    Because of the strong push on the part of the President and members of Congress to find a way to lower drug prices, and getting drugs from other countries where the cost is lower has become popular as a solution, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a proposal to let states submit drug importation plans for federal approval. .TSCL enthusiastically supports H.R. 2745 and H.R. 2305, and we were pleased to see support grow for both of them this week. .It would have to report to Congress every two years on regulatory and financial developments that affect older investors. Reports would have to include recommendations for possible regulatory or legislative action. … Continued

What We Know and What We are Still Learning .Sources: "Preliminary Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of Using the Chained CPI Starting in 2014," Congressional Budget Office, March 1, 2013. .Obama Urges Lawmakers in the State of the Union Address .Notch Reform continues to be a major priority of seniors who turn 85 to 94 this year. After so many years of receiving lower Social Security benefits than other seniors having similar work and earnings histories, is it any wonder that the majority of "Notch Babies" believe Congress is waiting for the issue to quietly die away? .In response to the proposed changes, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) said, "With their latest budget proposal, House Republicans have made their values very clear: strengthen the special interests, abandon seniors and hard-working families." TSCL agrees that adopting a premium-support model for the Medicare program would be a step in the wrong direction, and we oppose the Budget Committee's efforts to include it in next year's resolution. In the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to advocate against plans to privatize the Medicare program. .The Guaranteed 3 Percent COLA Act (H.R. 991) from Congressman Eliot Engel (NY-16) also gained one new cosponsor this week: Congressman Andre Carson (IN-7). If adopted, it would base the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on the more accurate Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), and it would guarantee an annual benefit increase of at least 3 percent. The bill now has six cosponsors in the House. .How to Protect Yourself and Others .We have a deep moral obligation to ensure our seniors receive quality, affordable healthcare. We have an equal obligation to our children to pass on an America rich in opportunity and free from the bonds of debt. That is why resolving this problem is one of my top priorities. .TSCL feels the closing of the World War II Memorial is a prime example of backwards Administration priorities. Access to that memorial should never be barred in the first place. Its construction was funded heavily by donations from the public rather than solely by tax revenues, and many donations came from Notch Babies who formed the bulk of the fighting forces during World War II. In fact, TSCL members and supporters alone donated over ,749 for the World War II Memorial Foundation.