This week, TSCL's legislative consultants, Former Congressman David Funderburk and Mrs. Betty Funderburk, along with TSCL's legislative analyst, Jessie Gibbons, held meetings on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress and their top staff..Proponents of Executive Action say it's unlikely that illegals would file a lot of claims for Social Security benefits. People need to work about ten years and meet age eligibility requirements to file a claim for retirement benefits, and most illegal immigrants are young. But the rules for disability benefits are different. Depending on age, young disabled workers could qualify for benefits with as little as 1.5 years of work history. And, under current policies, illegal immigrants who receive a work-authorized Social Security number can become entitled to benefits that could be calculated on earnings from prior work under invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers..This week, Members of one Senate Appropriations Subcommittee approved a spending bill that would fund the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs through fiscal year 201In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw three key bills gain support..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 -..Recently the TREA Senior Citizens League Board of Trustees traveled to Capitol Hill for a week filled with meetings. The Board was able to meet with 7 Congressional offices, including one drop-by visit with Chief of Staff Kevin Kimble and Legislative Assistant Yadira Castellanos in the office of Rep. Charles Gonzalez. Among the topics discussed were Notch Reform, anti-totalization measures, prescription drug costs, and the consumer price index for elderly..I've been filling my mother's prescriptions at the same pharmacy without a problem and charged the same co-payment every month. In November when I picked up her prescription, I was charged the full price of the drug. She was not near the doughnut hole. I was told her drug card "was not in the system." I went ahead and paid the full price because my mother needed the prescription, but what can I do now?.Here are three things you can start doing right now to lower your Medicare costs.Also, TSCL plans to be on the Hill next week visiting with the staffs of Republican Senators to find out where they are with regard to health care legislation, and in particular the Grassley-Wyden bill..As part of efforts to strengthen the Social Security system, Congress included the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset in the Social Security Act of 198While its intentions were noble, these changes did little to secure the Social Security system, and have instead unfairly penalized millions of public sector employees.
