An untested federal and state Medicare and Medicaid demonstration program is raising concerns that it affects too many low–income seniors, and is growing too fast. Enrollment has far exceeded early expectations and both provider, and advocacy groups are warning that its size would be hard to unwind if the demonstration fails to provide quality services and access to medically necessary services..Three Programs That Help Seniors With Medicare Costs.The Senior Citizens League encourages its supporters to attend these events and to ask important questions of their elected officials, like the following four…."The Senior Citizens League believes that as retirees and disabled people live longer, thousands of older Americans like Susan and her husband are working hard to make ends meet while at the same time providing care and support to aging family members and disabled adult children, says TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. The Senior Citizens League recently endorsed The Credit For Caring Act, legislation that would provide a tax credit for caregiving expenses..Upon introducing the bill, Rep. Schiff said, "We must work to ensure that public employees, just like retirees who have private pensions, receive the full Social Security benefits to which they are entitled. We have a responsibility to our educators, police officers, and fire fighters to act now to repeal these inequitable provisions, and ensure that hard work for the public good is justly compensated, even in retirement.".Your friend should be commended for being sharp and perceptive enough to anticipate her own needs. All too often discussions about changes in one's housing and assisted living occur during a health crisis. But because your friend lives alone, she needs someone like you to talk about the "red flags" that you both may start to notice, and she may need help working up plans for the next life phase..TSCL is troubled to learn that earlier this week the President tweeted that a short-term payroll tax cut should be considered, fueling a conversation around the potential for a temporary stimulus package..In January, one-third of all Medicare beneficiaries could see a Part B premium increase of 22 percent the highest increase in 27 years. Do you believe Congress should take action like it did last year to prevent the dramatic increase?.TSCL sent a letter to House and Senate leaders asking for their support for a more fair and adequate Social Security COLA. Stated TSCL's Chairman Arthur Cooper, "Eighty-six percent of TSCL's members and supporters believe Congress must pass legislation tying the annual COLA to the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. Doing so would more accurately base COLAs on the spending patterns of seniors instead of the spending patterns of young, urban workers, and would go a long way in improving the adequacy of Social Security benefits."

Heal When Counting Sheep Doesnt Work

Right now, every politician in Washington has his or her eye on November. That is when the voters speak and hold their elected officials accountable..and improve your health..If enacted, this bill will make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to American families. It will encourage drug companies to put people before profits, not the other way around. … Continued

Health Costs Perspective Medicare Spending Cuts And Hospital Productivity Gains

Surveys show a majority of Americans would like to see an increase in the Social Security payroll tax, but a new tax reform proposal would eliminate the 12.4 percent payroll tax altogether. This would end Social Security as we know it and transform it into a welfare program for older Americans. Do you support this drastic new proposal?.Needless to say, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services still lacks the effective oversight to monitor the wasteful payments that continue to plague the system. The Obama administration has made efforts to increase Medicare's accountability and reign in the waste and fraud that remain at an all time high level. In an education initiative, President Obama recently announced an increased effort and funding for a "Senior Medicare Patrol" program designed to educate Medicare beneficiaries on fraudulent spending from healthcare providers. The goal is to bolster Medicare fraud education programs for seniors across the country, highlighting ways to spot and report suspicious fraudulent activity from healthcare providers..Addressing the Part A shortfall will be particularly difficult and contentious for everyone. To bring greater solvency to the HI trust fund, lawmakers will be faced with the politically unpalatable choices of reducing Medicare spending, which could include requiring that Medicare recipients pay more for their coverage and increasing the tax revenues received by Medicare. Congress last addressed Medicare Part A finances in the 2010 Affordable Care Act which, among other things, required hospitals to become more efficient in their delivery of care, while requiring that higher income workers pay a higher Medicare payroll tax rate. … Continued

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