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During the debate over the debt limit, you undoubtedly heard the President try to scare you into believing Social Security checks would not come. Let me be blunt. The federal government takes in nearly seven times more than it needs every month to pay Social Security checks. The money was there. If checks didn't come, it would have been because the President had chosen not to pay them. You did not read that wrong. If you had not received your Social Security payment, it was because the President has directed the Secretary of the Treasury not to pay it..Nearly 20% of participants in TSCL's Senior Survey say they spent ,100 or more out-of-pocket on prescription drugs in 201And, as we age, all of us face the grim potential that a new health problem could increase our spending on prescription drugs to this level. Doing nothing to lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries is not a good option..A common debate is re-emerging this year over Social Security's "deficit, " as the federal borrowing limit looms. The debt limit, which was suspended since late 2015, was re-instated on March 16th. That debt limit sets the money the Treasury can borrow to pay for federal obligations, including money owed to the Social Security Trust Fund..New research links "silent strokes," or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults, to memory loss in the elderly. The study is published in the January 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology..Medicare drug plan finder at..Members of Congress may lose an election but unlike other Americans, they never lose their retirement and health benefits. A Member of the House or Senate who retires at age 60 after just 12 years in office will receive a Congressional pension of ,000 a year and lifetime benefits that could total more than 0,000. That doesn't even include 401 benefits or their Social Security benefits -..This week, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill and two committees held hearings to discuss the opioid epidemic. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw support grow for several key bills..plans with similar coverage caps or the maximum amount that the plans will pay..Is Dental Insurance Worth The Money?

Global Health Policy Issue Brief The Us Government And Global Health Security

On Wednesday, TSCL announced its support for the Strengthening Social Security Act. Sen. Tom Harkin introduced the bill in the Senate, and Reps. Linda Sanchez and Rush Holt introduced the companion in the House. If signed into law, the bill would reform the Social Security program in three ways: it would adjust the benefit formula, resulting in more generous monthly benefits; it would adopt a Consumer Price Index for the Elderly, resulting in more accurate cost-of-living adjustments; and it would lift the cap on income subject to the payroll tax. According to Rep. Sanchez, these three changes would preserve the Social Security Trust Fund through 2049, reducing the seventy-five year actuarial deficit by approximately 50 percent..To offset the increased spending, the proposal calls for approximately 0 billion in health care savings, with most coming from within the Medicare program. Under the President's plan, more beneficiaries would be subject to means testing and they would see higher premiums for Parts B and D. In addition, new beneficiaries would need to pay a copayment on home health care services, and they would also be faced with a surcharge on premiums for Medigap plans..In the days ahead, The Senior Citizens League will keep a close eye on the evolving budget negotiations, and we will continue to advocate for legislative solutions that would strengthen and protect your Social Security and Medicare benefits. For updates, follow us on Twitter or visit the Legislative News section of our website every Friday morning. … Continued

Blog Putting The Focus On Fiscal Facts

Low inflation is often blamed on the economic recession and slow recovery, but there are other factors. Unbeknownst to most of the public, the federal government has quietly made numerous changes to the methodology used for the nation's inflation measurement - the consumer price index. Politicians claim the changes make the CPI more accurate, but virtually all of the changes since the 1980's have lowered the measured rate of inflation and reduced the growth of Social Security benefits..For each of the reasons above, TSCL sincerely hopes that Congress will allow the Social Security payroll tax cut to expire at the end of this year. Extending it for a third time would be irresponsible, and we fear that it could jeopardize the program's ability to fully pay Social Security benefits in the future. To learn more about the tax cut and other issues affecting Social Security, visit our website..It remains to be seen whether Republicans in the Senate will begin working with Democrats on legislation that would stabilize the health insurance markets, or whether they will shift their focus to other legislative priorities. Following the failed vote early Friday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told his colleagues: "I regret that our efforts were simply not enough … It's time to move on." … Continued