This week, both the House of Representatives and the Senate held hearings concerning the nation's opioid epidemic. First, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee met on February 27th to discuss the role that technology can play in helping reduce the opioid crisis. HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander cited the statistic that 1 out of 16 patients who are prescribed opioids become chronic users and are more likely to abuse the drugs..TSCL is highly concerned about the Totalization Agreement since it would likely add billions in costs to Social Security and drain Social Security benefits from American citizens who retire in the future. The Agreement would also increase exponentially the number of foreign workers claiming Social Security benefits. Social Security law currently allows non-citizens, who at some point obtain work authorization and a valid Social Security number, to claim benefits. Under current policy, Social Security uses all earnings regardless of a workers' legal status at the time the work was performed, to determine entitlement to benefits - including earnings while working illegally in the U.S. Such work could have been done while using an invalid or even fraudulent Social Security number. Several Members of Congress have introduced legislation that would prevent the Totalization Agreement from moving forward and that would give Congress more oversight over Totalization agreements with other nations. In addition, anti-Totalization legislation opposes Social Security benefits going to those who worked in the United States while illegal..Most physicians do still accept Medicare, and most people insured by the federal program for seniors and people with disabilities have no problem finding another health care provider. But that transition can be tough, particularly for older adults with multiple medical conditions.."How Republicans' Brilliant Budget Tactic Backfired," Eric Pianin, The Fiscal Times, May 28, 2013..One important option to select is inflation protection. The cost of.Lawmakers Aren't Giving Up On Benefit Cuts.Now, a new fight over the practice has emerged as Health groups and consumer advocates are mounting a lobbying campaign to shape forthcoming federal rules around the ban. These are the same health groups that fought bitterly during the law's drafting about who would pick up the costs they could no longer bill to patients.."TSCL surveys indicate there is no support for benefit cuts among older voters," Johnson says. "We have learned, however, that there is widespread support to boost the amount of wages subject to the Social Security payroll tax, and to provide more adequate Social Security income," she says. "Raising the Social Security taxable maximum is a way to do both," she points out..Your persistent support in signing petitions, sending email, and letters to your Members of Congress have helped build the highest level of co-sponsorship in more than ten years.
