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..Under traditional Medicare with Medigap, you have greater freedom to select providers and to travel and still get coverage. Medigap is the better choice for people who divide their time between homes in two different states, or who like to travel outside the U.S. Several Medigap plans cover foreign travel emergencies. On the other hand under many Medicare Advantage plans, you would need to follow your plan rules to get in-network care and would be more limited to specific geographic areas. If you join a Medicare HMO and then have a medical emergency in other part of the country where your plan does not operate you would foot 100% of the medical bill..Democrats have delayed the start of the program in part because of its cost and an agreement to limit the overall spending in the Biden budget bill to .5 trillion. There is some talk on Capitol Hill of offering seniors limited vouchers to use toward dental benefits before 2028 as a compromise..We hope this has been a little helpful to you. Certainly, we all need to follow the recommendations of our own doctors and the advice from public health officials about taking commonsense precautions as we go about our daily lives..The prospects for an adequate Cost-of-Living Adjustment boost for 2013 are dimming. The rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is decelerating at the fastest pace in three years. A low COLA would leave the seniors, especially those with the lowest Social Security benefits, with less money to cover Medicare premiums that are automatically deducted from monthly payments..Starting January 1, 2014, all Americans are required to have health insurance. People who can afford it, but don't purchase health insurance by that date, may have to pay a fee, and must also pay the entire cost of all medical care they may later require. The fee in 2014 is 1% of your yearly income, or per person for the year, whichever is higher and that fee increases every year. By 2016, it is 2.5% of income, or 5 per person, whichever is higher..For information about town hall meetings near you during the summer congressional recess, call the local offices of your elected officials. For Congressional contact information, visit our website at..After passing The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act late last month, Congressional leaders quickly began selecting conferees to be named on the payroll tax conference committee. The bi-partisan panel will negotiate details beyond the 60-day payroll tax holiday extension and "doc fix" that will expire March 1st..Most Look Forward to Boost; Low-Income Retirees Worry Benefits Could be Trimmed

Blog Tick Tock What Will Happen When The Fy 2019 Budget Clock Runs Out

In years when there has been no, or almost no cost-of-living adjustment, Medicare Part B premiums have spiked significantly. TSCL is highly concerned that another Medicare Part B premium spike could occur again in 202Medicare beneficiaries who are not protected by the special provision of law known as the Social Security "hold harmless" provision could get hit with significantly steeper premium costs in 2021, and it may take several years before the majority of beneficiaries see their net Social Security benefit grow again..Tax Reform Work Continues in House and Senate.Social Security is one of the foundations of our nation and it is based on the principle that if you work hard and play by the rules you will have the stability and security of guaranteed income in your older years. For 75 years, Social Security has been a critical safety net for our nation's seniors and it should be preserved for generations to come. For these reasons, I will keep fighting to provide an accurate measure of inflation for our senior citizens and to strengthen the program. … Continued

Health Time Is Right To Examine Delivery Of Long Term Services And Supports Magazine2020

Key Bill Gains Critical Support.This years study of retiree costs found that between January of 2000 and January of 2019, Social Security COLAs increased Social Security benefits by 50 percent, but the costs of goods and services purchased by typical retirees rose more than twice as fast - 100.3 percent. Food and medical costs - particularly for fresh fruits and vegetables, and prescription drugs - were among the most rapidly - rising costs over the past year. The study examines the growth since 2000 in price of goods and services that are typical for retired and disabled households, and, compares them to the growth in Social Security benefits due to annual COLAs..While appliances and used vehicles are generally only purchased occasionally, 2020 was not a good time to be shopping for a new washing machine or used car. Appliances increased by an astonishing 17.2 percent and used vehicles rose by 10.9 percent. Johnson points out that, this time a year ago, the price increases of used vehicle prices were negative, at minus 12 percent. However, manufacturers of appliances as well as new cars and trucks shut down production lines at the start of the pandemic. While plants have slowly re-opened, supply chain disruptions and social distancing requirements have slowed production recovery. That's led to long waiting lists for appliances, and the demand for used vehicles shot up. … Continued

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