Newsroom District One Hospital Earns Renewed Designation As Level Iv Trauma HospitalJohn, age 66, is already enrolled in Medicare in 200He pays .40 per month. Because there is no COLA, and the basic Medicare Part B increases, his Part B premium will remain .40 because he's protected by the hold harmless provision. His premium will be adjusted to prevent a reduction in his Social Security in 20His wife Jane is 6She's not eligible to enroll in Medicare Part B until 20Her monthly premium would be an estimated 4 instead of .40. She won't have "hold harmless" protection until 2011..According to studies performed for TSCL, many Notch Babies, particularly those who rely on Social Security for most, if not all of their income, are at risk for living near or below the federal poverty level. For example, Notch Babies who retired in 1984 at age 65 with average benefits of 0 per month would receive about ,839 this year. In the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC, that's only 8% above the federal poverty guidelines..The CBO estimated last November that if lawmakers wished to raise the amount of covered earnings subject to the payroll tax to 90 percent of covered earnings, then the taxable maximum would need to be set at 6,400 in 2017 and to rise to 5,000 by 202"Legislation was introduced in December that would impose deep benefit cuts," Johnson notes, "but had no provisions to provide new revenues. " "Lifting the taxable maximum cap would provide new revenues to Social Security and it could also provide a modest boost to Social Security benefits, and more adequate COLAs to all people when they retire," Johnson points out. "Our lawmakers should not be allowed to hide this option under the rug," she says. "Raising the payroll taxable maximum is the means of providing greater retirement security and long - term program solvency, " Johnson says. "We can save Social Security without the deep cuts." … Continued
1 8The poll raises questions about both the adequacy of Social Security benefits, and proposals that would make seniors pay an even bigger share of their healthcare costs in the future. According to the Social Security Administration, the median income for retirees aged 65 and older is just ,056.[1] In 2010, the most recent year for which data is available, Medicare beneficiaries spent ,734 on out-of-pocket costs on average, including premiums for Medicare and other supplemental insurance or health plans.[2].Rep. Schwartz's bill, if signed into law, would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula for physician reimbursements, and it would set up a five-year trial period during which CMS would test and evaluate new payment models. TSCL believes that the SGR breeds uncertainty in the Medicare program for both physicians and beneficiaries. Many doctors have stopped accepting Medicare patients because of the SGR, and even more are threatening to do so if a permanent solution is not established soon. We believe Congress should repeal and replace the SGR by the end of this year in order to preserve seniors' access to quality medical care..But the new policy could backfire with senior voters. According to a recent TSCL poll seventy-seven percent said they do not agree with the new "deferred action" immigration policy. … Continued