Coronavirus policy watch what people and policymakers can do about losing coverage during the covid 19 crisis

For more information about town hall meetings near you during next week's recess, click HERE. You can also call the local offices of your Members of Congress to request information about upcoming town halls. For contact information, click HERE..For more information on the Social Security Fairness Act, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. To stay updated on its progress in Congress, follow TSCL on Facebook or Twitter..lucky enough to be in the middle of the fall Part D Open Enrollment period,.Legislation introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders and a similar bill introduced by Representative John Larson would provide a boost in Social Security benefits by about to for most recipients, would increase cost of living adjustments by basing the increase on the CPI-E. It would pay for the expanded benefits and restore long - term solvency to the program by making the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share of taxes. Under current law those earning more than 8,500 pay nothing on earnings over that amount..At their convention in July, delegates of the Republican Party approved a platform focused on reducing the national debt. Their document begins by stating: "We reject the old maxim that Social Security is the 'Third Rail' of American politics, deadly for anyone who would change it. The Democratic Party still treats it that way, even though everyone knows that its current course will lead to a financial and social disaster." The focal point of their plan is cutting government waste, encouraging economic growth, and balancing the budget even if that means making significant changes to programs like Social Security..This week, House and Senate lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill to begin the "lame duck" session. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw two key Medicare bills gain support in Congress..This week, TSCL endorsed the Social Security Fairness Act, which was recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Rodney Davis with the bipartisan support of seventy-seven original cosponsors..Here are the seven policy priorities for the disability program that we shared, based on overwhelming support in our recent polls and surveys of our members and supporters. Many of them appeared in the budget deal that was reached in October..But not all beneficiaries are protected by the hold harmless provision. The provision covers about three-quarters of beneficiaries who would not see any change in their basic Part B premiums in 2010, according to the Actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But one quarter of beneficiaries would face reductions to their monthly Social Security checks as money is deducted to cover the increased Part B premium costs. And although the "hold harmless" provision provides protection from the rising Part B premiums, that provision of law does not apply at all to Part D drug coverage or Part C Medicare Advantage plan premiums. If a person's Part D or Medicare Advantage plan premium goes up, he or she would have less Social Security to live on in 20An emergency COLA, however would offset those costs and prevent those reductions.

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Why is the coronavirus so different from previous flu outbreaks?.Alexandria, VA deadline is looming for more than 8.9 million disabled Social Security beneficiaries as well as 1.8 million of their children, warns The Senior Citizens League. So far Congress has not made public any long-term plan to head off a 20% cut of Social Security disability benefits that would occur in about two years. "All Social Security beneficiaries are waiting to learn how our newly elected lawmakers intend to remedy the situation," says TSCL Chairman, Ed Cates..Totalization with Mexico is highly controversial because of the millions of Mexicans who have illegally worked in the United States without authorization. The agreement raises concerns that millions of such workers and their dependents would become newly eligible for Social Security benefits worsening the long-term solvency of the program. In addition, substantial new costs could trigger benefit cuts and higher taxes for both retirees and workers. … Continued

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But those "extraordinary measures" can only last so long. Without congressional action, the Treasury Department will run out of borrowing authority in just a few months and it won't have the funds needed to pay the country's bills including Social Security benefits and Medicare reimbursements..For information about town hall meetings near you during the spring recess, call the local offices of your elected officials. You can find contact information for your Members of Congress right here..Advisor editor Mary Johnson estimates that using the chained CPI would cut lifetime Social Security benefits by about 7% over 25 years. New retirees with an average benefit of ,100 in 2010 would receive about ,634 less over a 25-year retirement period. "The financial impact is deceptive, appearing small at first," says TSCL Executive Director, Shannon Benton, "But the cuts compound over time, growing deepest when seniors are the oldest and sickest. By the time seniors are in their late 80's or 90's, when they are most likely to have chronic health problems, monthly benefits would be about 5 lower using the chained CPI." … Continued

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