Medicaid Issue Brief New Incentive For States To Adopt The Aca Medicaid Expansion Implications For State Spending View FootnotesEconomic forecasts for 2013 warn of a financial crisis ahead. Nobody is feeling it more acutely than seniors living on fixed incomes. Retirees and disabled adults won't see much of a cost-of-living adjustment increase in benefits this year. At 1.7%, the 2013 is one of the lowest ever paid, not counting 2010 and 2011 when no COLA was payable at all. Timing couldn't be worse..Whether or not appropriators will successfully negotiate an omnibus spending bill before December 11th remains to be seen. If Congress fails to reach an agreement, the federal government will shut down, and Social Security beneficiaries could see delays in their monthly benefit checks. In addition, doctors who treat Medicare patients and other medical providers could experience delayed reimbursements from the government..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 … Continued
Prevent What Do Your Genes Say About Your Risk Of Colon CancerOn behalf of the Board of Trustees and all TSCL members, we would like to send a hearty "thank-you," to the Members of Congress and their staff for meeting with us..Currently the SSA uses all earnings to determine entitlement to benefits, including the earnings for jobs worked illegally. The majority of seniors responding to TSCL surveys on the topic believe that noncitizens should not be allowed to receive Social Security based on illegal work. TSCL agrees. Social Security benefits are determined on earnings and work history, regardless of whether taxes were paid or not. Because those earnings are held by Social Security in an Earnings Suspense file, non-citizens could at some point gain access to benefits based on illegal earnings. TSCL strongly supports legislation that would ban the payment of Social Security based on unauthorized work..Premiums for Medicare Part B, as well as premiums for either a Medigap and Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan. … Continued
