News

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

    "Addressing our fiscal challenges will require many tough choices and policy changes—but switching to the chained CPI represents neither. Such a change offers policy makers the rare opportunity to achieve significant savings spread across the entire budget by making a technical improvement to existing policies. As such, across-the-board adoption of the chained CPI should be at the top of the list for any deficit reduction plan or down payment." .The first few months of this year were spent encouraging lawmakers to re-introduce critical legislation. So far, TSCL's most vital bills have been re-introduced, including the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E) Act, the Notch Fairness Act, the Social Security Fairness Act, and the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act. More recently, TSCL's focus has shifted to building support for these and other bills, and already, many legislators have signed on to them as co-sponsors. .Finally, two new cosponsors – Representative Jim Renacci (OH-16) and Representative Beto O'Rourke (TX-16) – signed on to the bipartisan CREATES Act (H.R. 2212), bringing the total up to twenty-one. If adopted, the CREATES Act would increase competition in the prescription drug industry by encouraging generic and biosimilar drug manufacturers to introduce their products to the market more quickly. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending August 2 2013

    In the coming weeks and months, TSCL looks forward to working with Congressman Duncan's office to build bipartisan support for the CPI for Seniors Act. For updates on the progress of the bill, click HERE for visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. .More information available on our website: .In yet a third judicial ruling, The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a rule by the Trump Administration that hospitals will have to publicly disclose the prices they negotiate with insurance companies. … Continued

This week, The Senior Citizens League was pleased to see support grow for two key bills that would improve the Social Security and Medicare programs if adopted. .Increase the retirement age: Raise both the eligibility age both for full benefits, currently at 66 and set to rise to 67 and, for the first time, raise the earliest eligibility age which is currently 62. .My husband survived cancer but his healthcare costs depleted our savings. Do you have suggestions for coping with debt in retirement? .If you receive a call from a person claiming to be from SSA, and that person asks you to provide your Social Security number or other information don't give it out over the phone. Contact your local SSA and report the call – it's likely to be a scam. .For progress updates or for more information about these and other bills that would strengthen Social Security and Medicare programs, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website or follow TSCL on Twitter. .In some hard-hit states, inspectors conducted remote surveys rather than going into nursing homes, a process that involved speaking to staff by phone and reviewing records. In Pennsylvania, for example, inspectors conducted interviews and reviewed documents for 657 facilities from March 13 to May 15 — most of which was done remotely. .As a country, we also need to encourage generations of all ages to be informed about their options for retirement saving and to take personal responsibility for their own financial planning, including understanding the extent of their senior benefits such as Medicare or Social Security or taking advantage of the fact that many employers will match what American workers choose to contribute to their retirement, which means twice the savings. Currently, for many Americans, their personal savings fall well short of what they will need to continue to fund their standards of living after retiring from the workforce full-time – and I worry that each generation is saving less. If financial planning feels overwhelming, there are many existing resources you can access to help ensure you are effectively utilizing your options. The Department of Labor has created a guide called the Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Retirement to help with practical tips for building retirement savings. USA.gov provides an outline of your options for saving as well as a list of questions to ask yourself to ensure you're planning sufficiently for your future. You can also use a retirement calculator to find out the best age to claim your Social Security benefits. If you are experiencing a problem with your pension, profit sharing, or retirement savings plans, USA.gov points to the Pension Rights Center as a potential source of free legal assistance or advice. Knowledge is power, and it's important that Americans of all ages are informed of their options so that they can plan appropriately for their futures. .To help you sort things out, TSCL strongly recommends that you get free one-on-one Medicare counseling through your state health insurance assistance program (SHIP). Many of the programs operate through area agencies on aging, local departments of senior services or senior centers. You can also get more information online at www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800-Medicare ( 7). .TSCL was pleased to hear that SSA decided to reverse the policy this week after receiving complaints from beneficiaries. TSCL's policy consultant Mary Johnson told Karen Damato this week, "We are grateful for a reprieve, even a temporary one." Policy analyst Jessie Gibbons also told Mary Beth Franklin of Investment News: "We believe the administration made the right decision to rescind their new cell phone texting requirement while they continue to pursue more options."