News

  • Video Night In America Tscl Visits Capitol Hill 2

    Two Key Bills Gain Cosponsors .This unexpected policy adjustment is largely attributable to the 6 billion in cuts to Medicare that Obamacare calls for. More than one-fifth of the cuts – approximately 6 billion – are to the Medicare Advantage program, which insures more than one-quarter of all seniors over the age of sixty-five. It's important to note that the savings from the cuts are not going back into the Medicare Trust Fund; instead, the money is going to help pay for the health insurance of younger, working adults under Obamacare. .In order to pass it all 50 Democratic Senators would have to support the legislation. If that were not the case there would have to be enough Republican Senators voting "yes" to reach at least 50 votes in favor of passage. … Continued

  • Issues Social Security Reform Track Bills

    What To Do When You Can't Afford Your Drug Costs .You will want to sign up for both Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (doctor's and outpatient insurance.) Medicare Part A usually does not cost anything since the Medicare payroll taxes withheld from workers' paychecks pay for Part A. Currently the base premium for Medicare Part B (for individuals with incomes less than ,000) is 5.50 per month. Medicare will send you a bill for three months at a time. You will need 6.50 for that first bill, and please note how quickly you must send it back (usually before the end of the month you received your bill.) There are several ways to pay. If you would prefer monthly billing, you may request that, but after you send in your first payment. Carefully read the information on your monthly bill to learn what you will need to do in order to request monthly billing. .The program is not meant to pay for all your energy costs, and in many places only provides assistance for your main heating source. For example, if you heat with oil, your local program may approve delivery of only a specific amount of heating oil and that may only fill a portion of your fuel tank. The amount of help you get depends on where you live, your income, your energy costs and needs, and your family size, in addition to other factors such as your age. In addition, in many areas of the country, the program runs out of funding quickly and operates on a first come, first serve basis. … Continued

In addition to advocating for these three important issues, Legislative Liaison Joe Kluck delivered letters to lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee urging them to advance comprehensive proposals that would enhance Social Security benefits and strengthen the solvency of the Trust Funds past 203Both the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 860) and the Social Security Expansion Act (H.R. 1170) would reform the program responsibly, without cutting benefits for current or future retirees. .Improving and maintaining access to affordable, lifesaving prescription drugs is a top concern for TSCL's supporters, most of whom live on fixed incomes and cannot afford steep and sudden cost increases. .TSCL Endorses New COLA Legislation .Julian Tang, an honorary associate professor in the Department of Respiratory Sciences at the University of Leicester in England, said he is aware of several clusters of infection related to air travel. However, it is challenging to prove that people have caught the virus on a flight. .Last year Americans were told that one of the ways to prevent being infected with Covid-19 is to wash hands frequently and for at least 20 seconds, and if that was not possible, use hand sanitizer. That resulted in a run on hand sanitizers and for awhile they were difficult to find. .According to The Senior Citizens League's research, Social Security benefits have lost 34 percent of their purchasing power since 2000 due in large part to inadequate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and rising health care costs. .Lawmakers will likely pass a short-term bill that will provide funding through Friday, May 5th. The seven-day stopgap measure will buy time for lawmakers to continue working on a larger omnibus spending bill that will fund the government through September 30th – the end of the fiscal year. .Could you tell me the status of the Social Security agreement with Mexico? There hasn't seemed to be much news about it recently. If we get a new president does that mean the agreement would be dead? .The Mayo Clinic has put out the following information as a way of helping you decide what it is that you may be suffering from. You are advised that if your symptoms are the same as in the past you are likely suffering from allergies again. But if there is any variation you should get tested for Covid. And if you have any doubt, getting tested for Covid is probably the right thing to do, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated.