Topic Private InsuranceTSCL enthusiastically supports Rep. Garamendi's CPI-E Act, and we thank him for his leadership on this important issue. In the months ahead, we look forward to working with his office to build support for the bill. In the meantime, we urge our members and supporters to contact their elected officials to request their support for H.R. 125For contact information, click HERE..Consumer Reports makes a good point. When you stick with the higher costing brand, the entire cost of the drug under that plan will apply towards your initial coverage limit, pushing you toward the doughnut hole coverage gap. That raises the chance you will use up your limit before the year's end and you'll pay half the cost of the brand name drug in the doughnut hole, and 79% on any generics. You may want to ask your doctor to prescribe the generic version of the drug whenever available..Despite the fact that so much urgently needs to be done, it is disturbing that the Senate plans to be out for at least 13 of the 34 weeks between now and the election. … Continued
Legislators Womens Legislative NetworkUnder growing pressure to reduce the federal deficit, the prospect of major Social Security and Medicare cuts is the greatest it's been in almost three decades. The recent debt limit deal calls for a bipartisan committee that has until Thanksgiving to come up with a plan to cut the deficit by .2 trillion. TSCL believes that the committee would very likely include a change to a more slowly growing consumer price index that would cut annual-cost-of-living adjustments. There are also proposals that would require seniors to pay a bigger portion of their Medicare costs..This week, the White House held its day-long Conference on Aging and The Senior Citizens League announced its support for one new piece of legislation..For the past two years, nearly 160 million Americans have enjoyed a two percent Social Security payroll tax holiday, which has resulted in approximately 0 in annual tax relief in the form of higher paychecks for the average worker. The measure was passed in 2010 in an effort to stimulate the sluggish economy, and it has been extended twice since then. But the popular tax cut is set to expire on the first of January, and for four key reasons, The Senior Citizens League is urging Congress to let the tax holiday come to an end. … Continued