News

So, while we like the news that they still want to act this year, TSCL is taking a wait-and-see position..Under current law, the federal government matches state Medicaid spending for everyone whose income is low enough to qualify, which is tied to the federal poverty level of ,060 or ,240. Under current law, as Medicaid spending increases due to rising program costs there are no caps on what the federal government contributes. Under the House and Senate health care bills, the federal government would switch to reimbursing states using a capped amount, regardless of the actual growth in costs in a state. If costs grow faster states would have to make up the difference..Social Security For Dummies, Jonathan Peterson, October 2017..This is obviously an area of concern for many TSCL members who get their prescriptions delivered through the mail as well as though who receive monthly checks by mail. If you have problems with late delivery, we urge you to contact your own Senators and Representative and let them know. Congress needs to put pressure on the postal service to get this problem fixed..Fewer low-income seniors would qualify for nursing home care, or would have longer "spend down" waiting periods..The survey found that a person having the national average Social Security benefit in 2000 - 6 per month - would have ,169.80 per month by 2016 due to COLA increases. However, because retiree costs are rising at a substantially faster pace than the COLA, that individual would require a Social Security benefit of ,517.80 per month in 2017 just to maintain his or her 2000 level of buying power..At Monday's press conference, all six Trustees commented on the need for Congress to make some changes to both programs to ensure their financial stability. The Senior Citizens League agrees that both programs must be returned to solvency to ensure that future retirees receive the security they deserve. However, we firmly believe that any changes to either program should be phased in gradually and should not affect those seniors nearing or currently in retirement..[v] Social Security Administration email, February 24, 2013..I will be 66 in April and still work at a small company. I get my healthcare through a Medicare Advantage plan. I've learned I will need to have surgery and expect to have extensive out-of-pocket health care expenses this year. In order to cover my healthcare costs, would I do better by taking money from my retirement savings in order to delay starting Social Security or should I start Social Security retirement benefits now to reduce what I need to take from savings?