Honeywell Petition

Vote Today, for those who are on YOUR side

Alliance Endorses Joe Bock for Congress

Alliance for Retired Americans members recently endorsed Joe Bock for election to the U.S. Congress from Indiana's 2nd District at an event in South Bend.

Joe Bock is really a champion for seniors. He can be trusted to lead with our interests. His views on keeping health care affordable and retirement secure are among the reasons that we stand behind Joe Bock and his candidacy for U.S. Congress," said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans.

Joe Bock's strong positions on fighting Social Security and Medicare privatization and strengthening Social Security and Medicare confirm his commitment to improving the quality of life for older Americans. He understands that selling off our Medicare to the big insurance companies or turning our Social Security over to Wall Street would benefit few and harm many, including Indiana seniors.

The Alliance for Retired Americans represents more than 4.3 million retirees and community activists, including more than 131,000 members in Indiana.

The Election is Coming

Vote for Joe Bock for Congress

Union Vets Say Hands Off Social Security and Medicare

There are 9.4 million military veterans receiving Social Security benefits, which means that almost one out of every four adult Social Security beneficiaries has served in the United States military. It is for that reason Union Veterans Council Director James Gilbert joined elected officials and allies on Capitol Hill yesterday to say #HandsOff Social Security and Medicare. For more information go to http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/

Flint Sit-Down Strike

Meet The Koch Sisters

Another Myth Spread By The Right

If you listen to the noise out of Washington, the right is once again attacking Social Security! The latest target of the conservatives in Congress are disabled Americans receiving Social Security benefits. I am sure you’ve already heard the messaging: Social Security disability fraud is rampant because it’s so easy to receive benefits and people would rather collect a hefty check from the government than work. It’s the 2014 incarnation of “our nation is full of ‘welfare queens’ and ‘greedy geezers.’” It also suffers from the same basic problem...it’s simply not true. 

The timing of this attack on Social Security’s disability program is not an accident. It’s the cornerstone of Congressional Republicans’ campaign to oppose both President Obama’s nomination of a new Social Security Administration Commissioner and the routine reallocation of the Trust Fund to prevent a 20% disability cut in 2016. Rather than address the disability shortfall head-on, as Congress has done many time before, conservatives hope to hold the disability program hostage in return for cuts throughout the entire Social Security program.

Brothers and Sisters, we are smarter than this. We cannot fall for the old divide and conquer politics that the GOP loves to promote. “Welfare queens and “greedy geezers” are simply villains created by disingenuous politicians to grossly misrepresent the truth. It infuriates the masses and builds support to fix a problem that doesn’t exists. This takes the focus off of the real villains. Those who seek to destroy Social Security. 

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) stated, “There is a quiet, covert war being waged on Social Security. The tactic? Divide and conquer. Today, detractors try to use Social Security Disability Insurance as a back door to cut the program as a whole. And, we will organize and fight back against today’s attacks aimed at some of the most vulnerable Americans: the disabled.” 

Jim Centner, SOAR Director

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 8-29-14

Headlines:
This Labor Day, Let's Raise America's Pay – It Will Help with Retirement Savings
No Surprise: Between 2000 and 2011, the Wealth Gap Widened
“Star” Rating System Fails to Protect Many Seniors in Nursing Homes
AP: GOP Sees Health Care Law’s Advantages More and More
Paul Ryan Hears More from Seniors about his Medicare Cuts during Book Tour
Fiesta Addresses Machinist Retirees, Celebrates Social Security in Rhode Island

This Labor Day, Let's Raise America's Pay – It Will Help with Retirement Saving The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) addresses extremely slow wage growth just in time for Labor Day. Available at http://tinyurl.com/l4duxgm, EPI’s paper shows that wages for most Americans were flat or fell in the first half of 2014, compared to this time last year. The study’s author, Elise Gould, says that wages even fell for top wage earners and those with a college degree. The bottom 10 percent’s wages increased by 2 cents an hour, thanks to state-level minimum wage increases. Use EPI’s calculator to see how much people would make if their wages were to continue growing with productivity, as they did in the past: http://tinyurl.com/p4pkktf. To see the video, “The one obvious way to fix inequality that no one is talking about,” go to http://tinyurl.com/opdbk67.  “The impact of stagnant wages is more than just an issue for those currently working,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “The problems increase at retirement, when seniors rely on what they’ve been able to save, as well as the Social Security benefits that are determined by wages earned while working. Income security now equals retirement security later.” No Surprise: Between 2000 and 2011, the Wealth Gap Widened New statistics from the Census Bureau show that the gap between rich and poor households only continues to rise. Between 2000 and 2011, net worth increased for the top 40% while declining for the bottom 60% of Americans. The gap has also increased according to demographic breakdowns, including race. For instance, African-Americans saw their overall median net worth decrease by $3,746 (or 37.2%) between 2000 and 2011. According to the Census report, “Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S.: 2000 to 2011,” (http://tinyurl.com/p78jhs2), median household net worth decreased by $5,124 for households in the first (bottom) net worth quintile and increased by $61,379 (or 10.8%) for those in the highest (top) quintile between 2000 and 2011. Each quintile represents 20%, or one-fifth, of all households. “Star” Rating System Fails to Protect Many Seniors in Nursing Homes In order to provide better information regarding the quality of nursing homes, Medicare has embarked on a five year process to rate every facility on a five star system - comparable to a hotel rating system. However, of the data that factor into the rating, only the results of an annual health inspection are done by an independent entity and reviewed by the government. The other two criteria, staff levels and quality, are self-reported and are not usually investigated. This creates an inherent risk of inconsistencies in the system. A report by The New York Times found that “many…top-ranked nursing homes have been given a seal of approval that is based on incomplete information and that can seriously mislead consumers, investors and others about conditions at the homes.” “We would like to see improvements to the rating system, such as decreased self-reporting and iHi, ncreased verification of responses,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. The complete article can be found here: http://nyti.ms/1zpP8dw. AP: GOP Sees Health Care Law’s Advantages More and More President Obama’s health care law is less of a political target, as vulnerable Democrats increasingly embrace it on the campaign trail and Republicans talk more about fixing it instead of repealing it. Two-term Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor (D), who is in one of the most competitive races in the country, says in an ad this week that he voted for a law that prevents insurers from canceling policies if someone gets sick, as he was 18 years ago when he was diagnosed with cancer. According to the Associated Press (http://tinyurl.com/pjhuewy), “House Republicans have voted some 50 times to repeal, change or scrap the law, and the GOP is betting Americans' opposition will be a great motivator in November's midterm elections.” The Obama administration and many health care policy experts maintain that the law is accomplishing its main goal - providing health care coverage to millions of Americans who lack it, with 8 million enrolled. The law also closes the doughnut hole gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage for seniors and provides seniors with free preventive care for many conditions, cutting Medicare’s costs. Robert Blendon, a public opinion analyst at the Harvard School of Public Health, says that the law is incredibly popular with “Democrats or more moderate independents” and that Sen. Pryor’s embracing of the law sends a message to Democrats that a law they like could disappear if he loses his seat. Campaign ads have also reflected less use of health care as an issue. Commercials from candidates and the party organizations themselves have focused on veterans, bipartisanship and attendance at committee hearings, while Republican-leaning outside groups such as Americans for Prosperity still use many of their ads to hit Democrats for backing the health care law. In July, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), described exchanges where individuals could shop for coverage as a step in the right direction and told reporters that "there are some things I feel could be built on.” Paul Ryan Hears More from Seniors about his Medicare Cuts during Book Tour Last week, seniors with the Pennsylvania Alliance picketed outside House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s speaking engagement and book tour stop in Philadelphia. This week, seniors and other critics of Rep. Ryan’s budget made their feelings known to him in Florida. For a photo of Florida Alliance Recording Secretary Barbara DeVane telling Rep. Ryan her point of view about Medicare in Tallahassee, go to http://tinyurl.com/knjk5jx. For a video of Rep. Ryan saying falsely that he does not plan to cut Medicare, go to http://tinyurl.com/mvuqxaj. “The video catches Paul Ryan lying,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Medicare cuts are a cornerstone of the Ryan budget plan. He wants to use vouchers to transfer costs to seniors, and he wants to raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67, for starters.” Fiesta Addresses Machinist Retirees, Celebrates Social Security in Rhode Island Mr. Fiesta was in Placid Harbor, Maryland on Monday at the Machinists Union Retirees Assistance Program. On Friday, he is in Providence, Rhode Island for a Social Security birthday celebration with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed; Reps. Jim Langevin and David Cicilline; George Nee, President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO; and Rhode Island Alliance members.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://tinyurl.com/l8eqg4h. For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 8-22-14

Headlines:
Alliance Members Continue Social Security Birthday Celebrations
Alliance Protest Targets Paul Ryan’s Book Tour
Sen. Schumer Introduces Bill to Stop Social Security Office Closures
Stand Up Against Social Security Service Cuts
Sunday Marks 50th Anniversary of Seniors’ Rally for Creation of Medicare Program
Unexpectedly High Medical Bills Often the Result of a Few Common Issues
Fiesta Attends DNC Seniors Council Meeting in Georgia

Alliance Members Continue Social Security Birthday Celebrations
With Social Security celebrating its 79th birthday last week, Alliance members have been holding events across the country honoring the landmark retirement security program. This week’s events included celebrations with cake and balloons in states such as Iowa, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. To view the latest photos from Social Security birthday celebrations, go to http://bit.ly/1tpnf4H.

The North Carolina Alliance hosted a birthday celebration in Charlotte, where members released a report from Alliance partner Social Security Works examining the Social Security system’s importance in the state. The local NBC-TV affiliate, WCNC, covered the event and interviewed North Carolina Alliance President Jim Moore. To view the clip, go to http://bit.ly/1ljAiVf. To see the report for North Carolina and other states, go to http://tinyurl.com/pt4ru5z.

Alliance Protest Targets Paul Ryan’s Book Tour
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Alliance held a protest in Philadelphia, as Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) rolled into town on the first stop of a national tour promoting his new book. The protestors assembled outside Ryan’s event, a speaking engagement at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, and carried signs drawing attention to the House Budget Committee Chairman’s proposals to fast-track cuts to Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher system.

Alliance member and AFSCME Retiree Dorothea Wilson, who picketed, responded to Ryan’s visit, saying, “For us retirees, he’s done everything he could to mess with our Medicare, our Medicaid, and Social Security. He doesn’t seem to think that older citizens need anything. Everything we have, he wants to take away from us.” To read more on the protests from the Philadelphia Daily News, go to http://bit.ly/1wdAHwX. For photos of the protestors in action, go to http://bit.ly/1mq7aqb.

“The Paul Ryan budget would not only end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher program, but also raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67. In addition, it would gut Medicaid and provide a windfall for millionaires,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.

Sen. Schumer Introduces Bill to Stop Social Security Office Closures
Since 2010, more than 80 Social Security field offices and more than 500 temporary mobile offices have been shut down – the largest reduction in Social Security field offices in the program’s history. These closings come as the Baby Boomer generation hits retirement age and demand for services is skyrocketing. In response to the closings, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has introduced a new bill, the Improving Access to Social Security Services Act (S.2742), which would require all future Social Security offices closures to go through a period of public review before any action is taken. Communities would have the opportunity to evaluate the impact of any proposed closures and to stand up for their local field offices before they are shut down.

“Social Security field offices are a critical part of ensuring that retirees and other beneficiaries have access to the full benefits they have earned,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

Stand Up Against Social Security Service Cuts
This week, as a part of the push to cut face-to-face services and move Social Security to an online service model, the Social Security Administration (SSA) kicked off a campaign to encourage beneficiaries to sign up on their mySocialSecurity website. With nearly 17 million seniors without regular internet access and 43 million annual visitors to Social Security field offices, a coalition of groups, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the Alliance, is looking to spread the word that high-quality, face to face services simply can’t be replaced with an online alternative. To get involved, connect with the Alliance on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1z87m3e and Twitter at http://bit.ly/1q39O9a, and share posts opposing in-person service cuts with your friends.

Sunday Marks 50th Anniversary of Seniors’ Rally for Creation of Medicare Program
This Sunday, August 24, will mark the 50th anniversary of a historic rally for Medicare held on the boardwalk outside of the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The rally, organized by the National Council of Senior Citizens, took place on August 24, 1964. During the event, 14,000 seniors marched 10 blocks down the Atlantic City boardwalk to the convention hotel, calling on Congress to pass legislation providing universal health coverage for older Americans. Less than a year later, on July 30th, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law.

“The boardwalk rally is a fantastic example of seniors joining together to spur Congress to action. Today, we can use that same spirit to fight to expand Social Security and protect Medicare from threats like Rep. Ryan’s budget plan,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance.

Unexpectedly High Medical Bills Often the Result of a Few Common Issues
Medical billing can be a complicated process, and when insurance companies fail to cover the full cost of services, patients often find themselves on the hook for more money than they expected. According to a recent article in USA Today, there are a number of reasons why an insurance company might not cover the full cost of a bill.

Common reasons include an error on the part of an insurance company; a doctor being considered “out of network”; and an insurance company missing information following a claim filing. Experts recommend asking plenty of questions ahead of time, documenting all contact with an insurance company, and making sure to follow up if a bill seems higher than it should be. For more on what to look out for, and tips on avoiding unexpectedly high medical bills, go to http://usat.ly/VI24OI.

Fiesta Attends DNC Seniors Council Meeting in Georgia
Mr. Fiesta traveled to Atlanta to speak at the Democratic National Committee Seniors Council Meeting on Thursday.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/1mv0Pde.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Joe Bock for Congress in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District

SOAR - We Have a Lot To Offer

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 8-15-14

Headlines:
Alliance Members Honor 79th Birthday of Social Security
Reports Detail Critical Importance of Social Security
Great Recession May Have Forced Americans into Retirement
Medicare Advantage Insurers Systematically Overbilling Government
States Refusing Medicaid Expansion Losing Billions in Funding
President Obama Signs VA Reform Bill into Law

Alliance Members Honor 79th Birthday of Social Security
Our nation’s Social Security system celebrated its 79th anniversary on Thursday, and Alliance members commemorated the important event by throwing more than 30 birthday parties across the country with cake and balloons. Celebrations focused on the long term success of the Social Security system and the need to expand the program in order to meet the needs of current and future retirees. The landmark program was signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14th, 1935. “Social Security is one of the most successful programs in America’s history,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “With pensions disappearing, it’s harder than ever for workers to save for retirement. We need to strengthen and expand Social Security, not cut it.”

Several celebrations featured members of Congress with track records of working to protect and defend Social Security, including Reps. Raúl Grijalva (AZ), Patrick Murphy (FL), Cheri Bustos (IL), Marc Veasey (TX), Nick Rahall (WV), and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (NH). Mr. Fiesta spoke at the Shaheen event in Manchester, New Hampshire. Both he and Alliance President Barbara J. Easterling spoke at the Rahall event in Beckley, WV. To view a sampling of pictures from the birthday events, go to http://tinyurl.com/pb6n36w. To mark Social Security’s birthday and pledge to redouble efforts to strengthen and expand the program, sign a birthday card to Social Security at http://bit.ly/1lYsDq6.

Reports Detail Critical Importance of Social Security
In honor of Social Security’s anniversary, the Alliance released a series of reports assembled by coalition partner Social Security Works that examine the critical role Social Security plays in states across the country. The reports, available at http://bit.ly/1t3TDJR, provide background information on the Social Security System as well as details about the vital role Social Security serves in the lives of individuals and families in each state. The reports also highlight the economic impact of Social Security benefits, with data carefully broken down by demographic category.

“Our Social Security system is the foundation of retirement security in this country and keeps nearly 22 million Americans out of poverty,” said Ms. Easterling. “Almost 65% of elderly couples and unmarried beneficiaries relied on Social Security for half or more of their income in 2012.”

Great Recession May Have Forced Americans into Retirement
New data from the Federal Reserve suggests that since 2008, a significant number of Americans have been retiring earlier than they expected. This trend comes despite polling suggesting that an increasing number of workers approaching retirement age intend to delay retirement and stay on the job longer in order to make ends meet. The conflicting data suggests that thousands of older workers who lost jobs in the Great Recession may have simply retired instead of continuing to look for work or settle for low paying jobs. Coupled with recent polling in which nearly 1 in 5 workers between the ages of 55 and 64 said they had nothing saved for retirement, the new Fed data points to an increasingly difficult environment for American retirees. Read more on the Great Recession’s impact on retirement at http://ti.me/1sYuYpc.

Medicare Advantage Insurers Systematically Overbilling Government
According to a study from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Medicare Advantage health plans have been overbilling the government by exaggerating how sick patients are and how much these patients cost to treat. Under the program, Medicare pays private insurance (Advantage) plans higher rates for covering sicker patients, with rates tied to “risk scores” based on patient medical histories. According to HHS officials, insurers have been exaggerating the rates of certain medical conditions in order to artificially raise these scores and inflate Medicare payments. The Medicare Advantage program currently insures around 16 million older and disabled Americans.

The HHS study follows a previous report in June that revealed $70 billion in “improper” payments made to Medicare Advantage plans between 2008 and 2013 – primarily a result of overbillings. For more information, read the article from the Center for Public Integrity at http://bit.ly/1paYCI6.

States Refusing Medicaid Expansion Losing Billions in Funding
According to a new report, the 24 states that have refused to expand the Medicaid program under the terms of the Affordable Care Act may be missing out on a staggering amount of federal dollars. A recent report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute suggests that over the next 10 years, these states will lose a total of $423.6 billion in potential federal funding, along with $167.8 billion in increased hospital reimbursement payments. The Medicaid expansion is fully funded by the federal government for the first three years of the program, with states picking up 10% of the tab after that.

Some politicians opposed to the expansion have argued that taking on the task would be a drain on state finances. The study suggests that while it would cost non-expansion states around $31 billion to participate, associated cost savings and enhanced tax revenues resulting from federal financed hospital spending will actually lead to improved finances for state budgets. “Millions of American workers and their families are being denied health coverage under the false claim that these states can’t afford to expand Medicaid. By refusing to expand the program, all these politicians are doing is hurting their constituents and their state economies,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary Treasurer for the Alliance. Read more on the Medicaid studies at http://slate.me/1pur9Zq.

President Obama Signs VA Reform Bill into Law
Late last week, President Obama signed into law a $16.3 billion overhaul of our nation’s Veterans Affairs (VA) health system. Thousands of veterans who have faced extended waits for medical care at VA facilities are now almost immediately eligible to seek government funded treatment from private physicians. Implementing other changes, including the expansion of VA staff through the hiring of thousands of health care providers, and the opening of 27 new VA clinics across the country, is expected to take at least 2 years. The new law also includes new rules making it easier to fire senior VA officials for poor performance. The reforms come in response to revelations of long wait times at VA facilities and attempts by administrators to cover up the problems. To read more on the law from the The Washington Post, go to http://wapo.st/1nTFLg2.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/1uBIBi1.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Interesting Stuff About Social Media

Interesting Fact About Social Media

Whatever you might think of “Social Media”, believe me, it’s here to stay. My Grandma didn’t like to use the telephone. It was like she was afraid of that newest technology and would much rather just yell across the corn field to her neighbors. Please don’t be like Grandma. Don’t be afraid of new technology. Try it, you might like it.

• Social Media is not about technology. Social Media is about People.
• Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30 years old. To them, Dracula is a cereal character and Vampires live in high schools.
• In 10 years over 40% of the Fortune 500 will no longer be here.
• Social Media has overtaken pornography as the #1 activity on the Web.
• Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S. It even impacts our offline behavior.
• 1 in 5 couples meet online
• 3 in 5 gay couples meet online.
• 1 in 5 divorces are blamed on Facebook
• What happens in Vegas stays on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Flickr
• An education study revealed that online students out performed those receiving face-to-face instruction.
• Kindergartens are learning on iPads, not chalkboards.
• If Facebook were a country it’d be the world’s 3rd largest, yet Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google are not welcomed in China.
• 95% of companies using social media for recruitment use LinkedIn.
• A new member joins LinkedIn every second.
• “We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media. The question is how well we DO it.” Erik Qualman
• Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of Sweden, Israel, Greece, Chile, North Korea,  Australia.
• 50% of the mobile Internet traffic in the UK is for Facebook. Imagine what this means for bad customer experiences.
• Over 37 million people watched the VW Darth Vadar Super Bowl Ad on YouTube. The child actor had never seen Star Wars.
• The ford Explorer Launch on Facebook generated more traffic than a Super Bowl Ad.
• Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé. (Y are those born 1977-1994) (Z are those born 1995-2012)
• Some universities have stopped distributing e-mail accounts.
• John Doe is now friends with John Doe Jr.
• 69% of parents are “friends” with their children on social media.
• eReaders have surpassed traditional book sales.
• GROUPON will reach $1 billion in sales faster than any company in history.
• 1.5 Million Real Farmers......80 Million Farmville Farmers.
• social gamers will buy $6 billion in virtual goods by 2013.
• movie goers buy only $2.5 billion in real goods.
• YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world.
• Every minute 24 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube.
• If Wikipedia were made into a book, it would be 2.25 MILLION pages long and would take you over 123 years to read.
• Word of Mouth is on DIGITAL STEROIDS......World of mouth.
• 34% of bloggers post opinions about products & brands. Do you like what they are saying about your brand? You better....
• Socialnomics is here to stay...
• 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations. Only 14% trust advertisements.
• 93% of marketers use social media for business.
• The ROI (return on investment) of Social Media is Your Business Will Still Exist in 5 years.
• Babies in Egypt have been named Facebook. Now that’s revolutionary.

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 8-1-14

Headlines:
Alliance Kicks Off Medicare Turns 50 Campaign With Events Across the Country
Trustees Report Shows Improved Outlook for Medicare Finances
Social Security Nominee Carolyn Colvin Begins Confirmation Process
Lawmakers Announce VA Deal, Confirm New Secretary
American Companies Dodging Taxes by Moving Addresses Overseas

Alliance Kicks Off Medicare Turns 50 Campaign With Events Across the Country
On Wednesday, Alliance members held more than 50 events in cities across the country in honor of Medicare’s 49th anniversary. The celebrations kicked off the Medicare Turns 50 Campaign leading up to next year’s 50th anniversary. The landmark health care program was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 30th, 1965. An Alliance-sponsored event on Capitol Hill saw speeches by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) along with Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Marcy Katpur (D-OH), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), and Mike Michaud (D-ME). Diane Fleming, a member of the Maryland/DC Alliance, also spoke at the event. In her remarks, she described the importance of Medicare and Social Security in her life after United Airlines, which had employed her for nearly four decades, declared bankruptcy and she lost much of her pension. To view photos from the event, go to http://bit.ly/1xFTcWq.

State events included celebrations at Social Security field offices in California and protests in Florida at the offices of representatives, such as Rep. Steve Southerland (R-FL), who have voted to cut the program. The Medicare celebration in Texas coincided with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)’s annual meeting in Dallas. ALEC is a corporate funded group that provides state politicians with corporate-authored draft legislation that is then introduced, often verbatim, into state legislatures across the country. As part of an anti-ALEC coalition, the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans staged a protest at the meeting site.

Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance, traveled to Dallas to meet with the Texas Alliance and took part in the protests. “Corporate front groups like ALEC are working behind the scenes to cut and privatize Medicare,” said Mr. Fiesta. “We are here to preserve and protect it, and make sure proposals such as those contained in the Paul Ryan budget – which would cut Medicare funding by turning it into a voucher program – never become law,” he added. To view photos from the protests, go to http://bit.ly/1u4ixZT.

Trustees Report Shows Improved Outlook for Medicare Finances
Earlier this week, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees issued their annual report on the financial health of the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. According to this year’s projections, the Medicare trust fund is fully solvent until 2030, 4 years longer than predicted in last year’s report and 13 years longer than in 2009, the year before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed. Analysts attribute the improvement to efficiency gains resulting from the Affordable Care Act along with slow wage and price growth during the Great Recession. Though average spending per Medicare beneficiary is expected to remain flat for the next few years, it is projected to rise in the coming decade, due in part to rapidly rising prescription drug costs. “The improved financial outlook for the Medicare trust fund is a sign that the Affordable Care Act is doing its job to bring down health costs. Congress can further strengthen Medicare by passing the Medicare Drug Savings Act to stop big drug makers from price gauging and allow Medicare to negotiate the lowest, discounted rate for prescription drugs,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

The Social Security trust fund ran a $32 billion surplus last year and is on track to remain solvent through 2033, the same as expected last year. The trust fund reserves for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are projected to be exhausted in 2016. While Congress has previously reallocated funds a number of times to extend the life of the program, Republicans are expected to use attacks on SSDI as a tool to undermine support for the entire Social Security system. For more on the report, go to http://nyti.ms/1s6JMT0. Read about GOP plans to attack SSDI at http://bit.ly/1oeYFhh.

Social Security Nominee Carolyn Colvin Begins Confirmation Process
On Thursday, Carolyn Colvin, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA), had her confirmation hearing at the Senate Finance Committee. Colvin has served as Acting Commissioner of the SSA since February 14th, 2014 when the term of her predecessor, Bush appointee Michael J. Astrue, expired. Colvin’s nomination begins her confirmation process at a time in which the SSA has faced questions from members of Congress over Social Security field office closures and service cuts. To read Acting Commissioner Colvin’s remarks before the committee, go to http://1.usa.gov/1pugfSi.

Lawmakers Announce VA Deal, Confirm New Secretary
On Monday, House and Senate negotiators announced they had reached an agreement to overhaul the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. The overhaul comes in response to revelations earlier this year of long wait times at VA facilities and efforts by VA administrators to cover up the problems. The bipartisan agreement was brokered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), head of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), head of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The $17 billion agreement scales back separate plans previously passed by the House and the Senate after lawmakers expressed concerns about the $35 billion cost. For more on the overhaul, go to http://on.msnbc.com/1xFLiMw.

The Senate also voted 97-0 this week to confirm Robert McDonald to lead the Veterans Affairs Department. A former US Army Captain, McDonald previously headed the consumer products company Proctor & Gamble. McDonald’s confirmation follows the resignation of former Secretary Eric Shinseki in May. More on the confirmation at http://wapo.st/1pIZ6By.

American Companies Dodging Taxes by Moving Addresses Overseas
In a process known as “inversion”, American corporations are purchasing smaller firms in low tax countries in order to avoid taxes by simply switching to an overseas address. The drug makers Mylan and AbbVie recently began dodging taxes through inversion, and the retailer Walgreens is currently considering following suit. “At a time when families are being hurt by steep budget cuts in Washington, these American corporations are skipping out on their tax responsibilities by simply changing their address. Congress needs to take action to put an end to this practice and make sure American companies pay their fair share,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer for the Alliance. Read more on corporate tax dodging on the AFL-CIO NOW blog at http://bit.ly/1txUHZ1.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/1nSs45w.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Veterans' Health Care Bill 'Critical First Step'

Veterans' Health Care Bill 'Critical First Step' in Addressing VA Failures

Mike Hall AFL-CIO
Spurred by the recent revelations about long waiting lists, denied critical health care for military veterans, management cover-ups and other serious problems at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and health care facilities, Senate and House leaders have agreed on veterans' health care funding and reform package.

AFGE President J. David Cox Sr. calls the legislation by the leaders of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees:

"A critical step toward getting the VA back on track so veterans do not have to wait for care….As [Senate Veterans' Affairs] Chairman [Sen.] Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reminded us, this legislation is the beginning, not the end, of a long overdue effort to make the VA strong again and address the true cost of war."

The $17 billion supplemental funding measure must be approved by both houses, which leave for a five-week summer recess at the end of this week.

The bill will begin to address chronic short staffing of doctors, nurses and support personnel. This will assist in getting veterans in the door to receive the top-notch care they have earned, says AFGE, health care that veterans regularly choose over the option of going outside the VA. Inadequate staffing has been widely shown to be the root cause of the unacceptable delays and wait-list manipulation.

It includes $2 billion to lease 27 new medical facilities and $5 billion to hire doctors, nurses and other staff and funding for treatment of traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma and improved educational benefits.

The bill also the gives the VA secretary new power to fire executives at the agency. Says Cox:

"Although AFGE supports accountability for VA executives responsible for wait-list manipulation, accountability does not require eliminating due process rights; we have all seen in recent months the culture of fear in the VA that intimidates and harms employees trying to speak up for veterans. Due process protects the innocent; we want to make sure we only punish the guilty."

Statement on Social Security

Statement by Retiree Leader Richard Fiesta on the 2014 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports

The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, in response to Trustees reports issued today on the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds:

Washington, DC - “The most important lesson from the 2014 Social Security Trustees Report is that Social Security has a large and growing surplus. Today's report projects Social Security’s cumulative surplus to be roughly $2.8 trillion in 2014, growing to about $2.9 trillion around 2020. The report reaffirms that, without any changes, Social Security can pay full benefits until 2033 and three-quarters of benefits after that, unchanged from last year’s report.

“The Medicare Trustees report reminds us once again that the Affordable Care Act is controlling health care costs. It is great news that the life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by another four years to 2030. Attempts to repeal health care reform would only undo the progress we have made in controlling health care costs.

“Current and future retirees must be wary of those politicians who will use today’s Social Security and Medicare Trustees reports as political cover for radical changes that would put seniors, the disabled, and the families of deceased workers at risk. For instance, we do not need to cut Social Security to address the projected shortfall in the disability trust fund. Rather, we just need a technical adjustment. Congress should, as it has done multiple times before, simply reallocate income across these funds.”

“More and more politicians are actually advancing proposals to expand Social Security. One example, the Strengthen Social Security Act (S.567 and H.R. 3118), introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), would increase annual Social Security benefits by an average of $800. That is an improvement to our retiree system, and we support it.

“The 49th anniversary of President Lyndon Baines Johnson signing Medicare into law will be this Wednesday, July 30. That means next year, Medicare turns 50 – and the Alliance for Retired Americans intends to make sure Medicare is still strong then, and for our children, and for our grandchildren.”

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 7-18-14

Headlines:
Capitol Hill Event Puts Focus on Older Unemployed Workers
Alliance Joins Boycott of Staples over Efforts to Privatize Postal Operations
Social Security Administration Will Still Issue Verification Letters at Field Offices
Alliance Urges Members to Make Voices Heard on Field Office Closings
Affordable Care Act Success Fails to Bring Political Reward
Fiesta Meets With AFSCME Retiree Council

Capitol Hill Event Puts Focus on Older Unemployed Workers
On Wednesday, Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance, teamed up with several Members of Congress, the Center for Effective Government, and other advocacy organizations to draw attention to older unemployed jobseekers. The Capitol Hill event highlighted the disproportionate impact of long-term unemployment on both near-retirees and younger workers (20’s). In the past month, the coalition has also highlighted the effect of long-term unemployment on children, women, and veterans. The events were inspired by a story bank, which the Center for Effective Government began in order to document the impact of a rough job market on more than 2 million Americans who were cut off from extended unemployment benefits at the end of 2013. Wednesday’s event featured Reps. Daniel Kildee (MI), Dina Titus (NV), Steven Horsford (NV), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Steny Hoyer (MD), Chris Van Hollen (MD), David Cicilline (RI) and others.  The Center for Effective Government has collected over 2400 stories about unemployed retirees who have spent down their savings and need the unemployment benefits for basic needs.

“Older jobseekers often face unemployment discrimination as they look for work, and they also have the longest bouts of unemployment,” said Mr. Fiesta. “The average duration of unemployment for workers ages 55 to 64 is 11 months, according to the Department of Labor. That's three months longer than the average for 25- to 36-year-olds.” You can view the photo archive from the event at http://tinyurl.com/l5ovmy2. To view video footage, go to http://tinyurl.com/n4dv66n.

Alliance Joins Boycott of Staples over Efforts to Privatize Postal Operations
The Alliance is asking its members to support the American Postal Workers Union’s (APWU) efforts to stop the privatization of postal operations by joining APWU members in boycotting stores of the office supply chain Staples. The retailer recently reached a deal with the U.S. Postal Service that threatens to replace full-service U.S. Post Offices with knock-off post offices in Staples stores that are staffed with low-wage non-U.S. Postal Service employees. “We are proud to stand with the workers of the U.S. Postal Service to protect living wage jobs that offer workers the opportunity for a dignified, secure retirement,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.

Earlier this week, just days after the 1.6 million member American Federation of Teachers joined the Staples boycott, the company appeared to back down by announcing that it would be ending its original pilot program with the U.S. Postal Service. Despite the announcement, however, it appears that the retailer will continue to offer USPS services at its stores. “This attempt at trickery shows that the ‘Don’t Buy Staples’ movement is having an effect,” said Mark Dimondstein, President of the American Postal Workers Union. “Staples and the USPS are changing the name of the program, without addressing the fundamental concerns of postal workers and postal customers.” The boycott has already been endorsed by a number of other organizations including the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). For information on the Staples boycott, go to http://www.stopstaples.com/.

Social Security Administration Will Still Issue Verification Letters at Field Offices
Bowing to pressure from Alliance activists, lawmakers, and others, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on Thursday that it will continue to provide benefit verification letters at Social Security field offices. The announcement reverses a previous plan to stop issuing the documents at field offices and shift to online-only availability. Verification letters are often provided to employers and government agencies in order to verify that beneficiaries are receiving benefits. With rates of internet access significantly lower among seniors and low-income Americans, the previous plan threatened to harm the beneficiaries most likely to request verification letters. “Our activists’ voices were heard. Alliance leaders and members have been saying for months that online benefit verification records by themselves are not enough to satisfy everyone’s needs,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. To read the announcement from SSA, go to http://tinyurl.com/lm34ljg.

Alliance Urges Members to Make Voices Heard on Field Office Closings
Over the last several years, budget cuts at SSA have resulted in 80 field office closings and nearly 11,000 fewer staff providing face-to-face assistance. These cuts come during an unprecedented increase in demand for critical SSA services as Baby Boomers hit retirement age. In response to the wave of SSA staff reductions and field office closings, the Alliance is asking members to call their representatives in Congress and let them know that service cuts at the Social Security Administration have to stop. For information on the service cuts, as well as phone numbers for contacting your representatives, see the flier from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) at http://tinyurl.com/lja4wg4. 

Affordable Care Act Success Fails to Bring Political Reward
More than 350,000 North Carolina residents have signed up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but that success has not translated into political support for the law or the leaders who voted for it. In the state, the Democratic Senate incumbent, Kay Hagan, is locked in one of the tightest races in the country and, despite increasing signs of the ACA’s success, is facing sharp criticism over her support of the law. Her opponent, Republican Thom Tillis, has made his opposition to the ACA a focus of the campaign, and Sen. Hagan rarely mentions the law on the campaign trail. The gap between the law’s success and its status as a political liability is a sign of a disconnect that has appeared in states across the country. “The Affordable Care Act is bringing health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans while helping seniors by lowering the cost of prescription drugs and expanding free preventive screenings. It’s important that we spread the word about the benefits we continue to see from the health reform law,” said Ms. Easterling. To read more about the gap between the success of the Affordable Care Act and support for the law, go to http://tinyurl.com/lw3u8wc.

Fiesta Meets With AFSCME Retiree Council
Mr. Fiesta traveled to Chicago to meet with the AFSCME Retiree Council on Saturday and Sunday.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/WiNldX.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 7-11-14

Headlines:
Social Security Disability Insurance Event Shines a Light on Program’s Importance
Alliance Cosponsors Tele-town Hall on Caregivers’ Credit with Rep. Nita Lowey
Growth in Medicare Spending Slows Dramatically
Hawaii Alliance Holds Annual Legislative Review, Honors Former President Hamai
Graying Prison Population Means New Health Care Costs for States
Fiesta Addresses AFT Retirees

Social Security Disability Insurance Event Shines a Light on Program’s Importance
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) coverage, which workers earn through Social Security payroll tax contributions, provides benefits to 8.9 million disabled American workers and 1.9 million dependent children of disabled workers. On Tuesday, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Alliance Legislative Representative Eva Dominguez were featured speakers at an event hosted by the Center for American Progress focusing on the importance of SSDI. Sen. Brown spoke about the need to expand Social Security and the Republican strategy to use SSDI as a way to undermine support for the entire Social Security system. Ms. Dominguez shared stories, sent in by Alliance members, about how SSDI has been a crucial safety net for them.

For 80% of disabled workers, SSDI is the primary or only source of income, and it provides a drastic increase in the quality of life of recipients who might otherwise live in poverty. Only one-third of private-sector workers has employer-provided long-term disability insurance, and most of those plans often provide less than SSDI. Only 7% of workers who make $12 per hour or less have such insurance, since most private long-term disability insurance plans are too costly for most workers. For more on SSDI from the AFL-CIO blog, along with a link to video of the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/k7pqfh4.

Alliance Cosponsors Tele-town Hall on Caregivers’ Credit with Rep. Nita Lowey
Also on Tuesday, the Alliance co-sponsored a teletown hall on Social Security featuring Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY). The event focused on Lowey’s introduction of H.R.5024, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2014 - legislation that would allow time workers spend out of the workforce caring for a family member to count towards Social Security work credits. Since Social Security benefits are based on lifetime earnings, current rules mean that taking time out of the workforce to care for a loved one can result in reduced benefits at retirement. The caregiver credit would allow up to five years of time spent out of the workforce providing home care to count towards Social Security work credits.

“Under the existing rules, caregivers are effectively penalized for taking care of a family member. This penalty especially hurts working women who are more likely to take on caregiver responsibilities. It’s long past time for the important work of our nation’s caregivers to be recognized when it comes to Social Security benefits,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.     

Growth in Medicare Spending Slows Dramatically
New estimates suggest that Medicare spending in 2014 is expected to be more than $1,000 lower per beneficiary than was projected when the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. Current estimates, reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation, anticipate that the trend will continue. By 2019, per-beneficiary spending will be nearly $2,400 lower than projected in 2010. While experts are unable to account fully for the decline, much of it appears to be tied to Medicare savings provisions of the Affordable Care Act, along with efficiency gains implemented by providers in response to incentives included in the health care law. Other possible contributors include the use of new data systems to more effectively track health spending and several popular brand name prescription drugs going off patent in recent years.

“These new estimates are more evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working to control costs and make health care more affordable for everyone, including seniors. Curbing the rise in health costs means lower Medicare premiums, an improved budget outlook, and healthier balance sheets for the Medicare trust fund,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director for the Alliance. To read more about the spending slowdown, go to http://tinyurl.com/o3wo3uu.

Hawaii Alliance Holds Annual Legislative Review, Honors Former President Hamai
The Hawaii Alliance recently teamed with fellow advocacy organization Kokua Council to co-host the 8th Annual HARA/Kokua Council Legislative Review at the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu.  Eight state legislators participated in the event, including state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim (D) and state House Speaker Joseph Souki (D). With a crowd of retiree activists along with representatives from a number of government and non-profit organizations in attendance, the legislators reported on recent policy developments, provided a number of informational handouts, and took part in a question and answer session. Former HARA President Al Hamai was presented with the Shining Light award in recognition of his many contributions to the Hawaii Alliance and his years of work on retiree issues. The event also saw a presentation by Hawaii Alliance President Justin Wong.   

Graying Prison Population Means New Health Care Costs for States
A new survey suggests that a rapidly aging inmate population could lead to budget problems for the nation’s prison system. According to the report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the number of prison inmates 55 and older jumped 204% between 1999 and 2012, a period in which the under-55 inmate population increased by only 9%. The staggering uptick is the result of stiffer sentencing laws and an increase in the number of older felons. As a result of the nation’s aging inmate population, prisons are being forced to shoulder higher health care costs and spend money to retrofit existing structures to accommodate the physical needs of older adults. More from American Public Media’s Marketplace is at http://tinyurl.com/nx8q5qq.

“There is a high cost to denying parole to our oldest felons,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “In cases where the threat to public safety remains high, and the prisoner is not rehabilitated, parole is not the answer. However, that is not always the case. That is why officials in many states are now reconsidering and trying to make it easier for these inmates to be released.”

Fiesta Addresses AFT Retirees
Mr. Fiesta traveled to Los Angeles to speak at the American Federation of Teachers Retiree Conference on Thursday and Friday.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://tinyurl.com/mzvpcu8

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 7-4-14

Headlines:
Supreme Court Sides with One Percent in Home Health Care Case
Americans are United on Support for Social Security
New Census Report Gives Detailed Look at the 65-and-Over Crowd
Companies that Pay Above Minimum Wage Come Out Ahead
Centenarians Less Likely to Succumb to Chronic Illness

Supreme Court Sides with One Percent in Home Health Care Case
On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision that makes it harder for home care workers to deliver quality care for their clients. The case, Harris v. Quinn, involves home health care workers in Illinois who are paid through Medicaid but primarily supervised by home care recipients. In a majority ruling authored by Justice Samuel Alito, the court held that although these workers are paid by the state, they fall into a category of workers termed “partial government employees” and are not subject to the same labor rules as other public workers including firefighters, school teachers, and police officers. The court ruled that these home health care workers cannot be required pay fair share fees to unions bargaining on their behalf. The Court did uphold the right of other public employees to have a voice at work by declining to overturn a 37-year old precedent that permits fair-share agreements for public employees. Under such agreements, workers may opt out of union fees designated for political ends but are required to cover a share of costs associated with other union activities such as collective bargaining.

The anti-union organization, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation – funded by the Koch and Walton families and others – brought the Harris v. Quinn suit.  Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance, said, “Corporations, the Koch brothers and their extremist allies continue to pursue anti-retiree, anti-worker legislation in the states and in the courts. Instead of using the courts to take away the rights of working Americans like caregivers, we must reduce income and wealth inequality and enhance Americans’ economic security in both working years and in retirement.” The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders said that the Supreme Court decision "does not dampen the resolve of home care workers and child care providers to come together to have a strong voice for good jobs and to give care to millions of seniors, people with disabilities and children." Read more here http://bit.ly/1m5LK4k.

Americans are United on Support for Social Security
The American public may be divided on a host of issues, but a recent survey released by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press points to overwhelming support for our Social Security system. Although Americans express concern about the long-term solvency of the program, just one-third of Americans believe benefit cuts should be considered.

There is little variation between ideological camps. Fifty-nine percent of conservatives and two-thirds of liberals agree that benefits should be maintained at current levels. The proposal with the most support across the political spectrum regarding maintaining long-term viability involves gradually lifting the earnings cap on Social Security contributions, increasing Social Security payroll taxes from 6.2% to 7.2%, and modestly expanding benefits. “The American public stands firmly behind strengthening and expanding Social Security. With multiple Social Security expansion bills including the Raise Act and the Strengthening Social Security Act already circulating in the Senate, it looks like our leaders in Washington are starting to get the message,” said Barbara Easterling, President of the Alliance. For more details on public support for Social Security, go to http://on-msn.com/1vsGSaI.

New Census Report Gives Detailed Look at the 65-and-Over Crowd
A new report released by the US Census Bureau paints a picture of a shifting demographic landscape for people over age 65 in the United States. Among the findings are an increasing number of working seniors, a more racially diverse over-65 population, and fewer seniors living in traditional nursing homes. With 40.3 million adults over age 65 in 2010, seniors made up 13.0% of the nation’s population. That figure is expected to rise to 20.9% by 2050. The study notes that Social Security is the largest single income source for Americans over age 65, making up 36.7% of aggregate income in 2010. For the lowest earning fifth of seniors, Social Security makes up more than 84% of income. “With so many Americans approaching retirement age, it’s becoming all the more important that we fight to protect Social Security and Medicare, cornerstones of retirement security,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. For more on the study, go to http://1.usa.gov/1nZ78Wb.

Companies that Pay Above Minimum Wage Come Out Ahead
Zeynep Ton, with the MIT Sloan School of Management, wrote in a Forbes article this week (http://onforb.es/1mhWZbA), “Retail and fast-food jobs are here to stay. Unless these jobs become better jobs, millions of people who work will continue to live in poverty and rely on public assistance.” She points out that nearly one fifth of American workers work in retail and fast food, earning poverty-level wages, have unpredictable schedules and few opportunities for success and growth. When Ton examined large companies that voluntarily pay their employees well above the minimum wage including Costco, Trader Joe’s, QuikTrip (a U.S. chain of convenience stores), and Mercadona (Spain’s largest supermarket chain), she found commonalities. They consider their workforce a strategic asset, not a cost to minimize; and the companies make smart operational choices that increase employee productivity and “motivate [employees] to play a much bigger role in driving sales and reducing costs.”

Gene Lantz, President of the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans said, “The better we work, the better we retire. We’ve been in this race-to-the bottom for too long. Companies that pay their workers a living wage and provide healthcare and other benefits are in-the-right and their businesses are setting a successful example.” He continued, “It’s time other corporations wise up and get behind efforts to raise the minimum wage, support the Walmart organizing drive, and push for $15 per hour for food service workers.”

Centenarians Less Likely to Succumb to Chronic Illness
A recently released study from the U.K. suggests that older adults reaching age 100 are less likely to die from illnesses that are among the most common causes of death for younger seniors. According to LiveScience, only 8.6% of centenarians passed away from heart disease and only 4.4% from cancer. For the 80 to 85 crowd, heart disease accounted for 19% of deaths with cancer accounting for 24%. Although less likely to succumb to chronic illnesses, centenarians are more prone to sudden infections that can lead to rapid health decline. The leading causes of death for seniors over 100 were found to be old age and pneumonia. For more, go to http://bit.ly/1qy5HUV.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/1zdxhJz.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Exxon Hates America

Barbara Easterling Speech

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 6-27-14

Headlines:
Obama Picks Carolyn W. Colvin to Lead Social Security Administration
SAME Act Would Bring Equal Social Security Benefits to Same-Sex Spouses
Sign the Petition Calling for an End to the Abuse of “Observation Status”
Virginia Gov. McAuliffe Vetoes Parts of State Budget in Medicaid Expansion Fight
Maryland/DC Alliance Holds First Annual Awards Luncheon
If Social Security Disability Insurance Made a Difference in Your Life, Tell us how!
Retiree Activists Gather at Indiana Alliance Convention
Maryland/DC Alliance Member James (“Jimmy”) Allen Passes Away

Obama Picks Carolyn W. Colvin to Lead Social Security Administration
Late last week, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Carolyn W. Colvin to lead the Social Security Administration (SSA). A longtime government administrator, Ms. Colvin has been the agency’s acting commissioner since February 2013. There will be a confirmation hearing in the Senate Finance Committee and, if confirmed, she would serve a six-year term. The appointment comes at a time when the SSA faces a number of ongoing challenges. Budget cuts at the agency have recently led to field office closures, staff reductions, and service cuts. The budget stress at the agency has been coupled with increased demand for support services as more and more baby boomers hit retirement age.

This spring, Colvin was a featured speaker at the Alliance National Membership Convention in Las Vegas. “We are pleased that a permanent Social Security Commissioner has been nominated. Congress should make Acting Commissioner Colvin’s job easier by fully funding the SSA, so that field offices can remain open, and the people who have earned Social Security benefits are able to access the services they need,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

SAME Act Would Bring Equal Social Security Benefits to Same-Sex Spouses
On Wednesday, the Alliance called on Congress to pass the Social Security and Marriage Equality (SAME) Act of 2014, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI). The SAME act would close a current gap that denies legally married same-sex spouses access to full Social Security benefits when they reside in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriage. “After the death of a loved one, some families are currently going without survivor benefits they have earned,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “We are saying that discrimination is never right, and we want to be on the right side of history. Same-sex older couples deserve the same rights as other older couples.” Read the press release at http://tinyurl.com/qcdqjzx.

Sign the Petition Calling for an End to the Abuse of “Observation Status”
The Alliance has released a new online petition calling on Congress to take action to prevent seniors from being forced to bear high out of pocket health costs due to the misuse of an “observation status” designation during hospital stays. Increasingly, seniors on Medicare are spending multiple days in the hospital only to discover later on that they were never admitted as in-patients and were instead held under “observation status.” As a result, seniors are facing unexpected bills for medications and skilled nursing facility care that Medicare would typically cover for in-patients.
The petition calls on Congress to pass the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (S.569, H.R. 1179), co-sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate and by Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Tom Latham (R-IA) in the House. To sign the petition, go to http://tinyurl.com/lzx3tnk.

Virginia Gov. McAuliffe Vetoes Parts of State Budget in Medicaid Expansion Fight
The budget battle between Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and Republicans in the state legislature over McAuliffe’s push to extend health coverage to 400,000 low income Virginians has taken another dramatic turn. After the surprise resignation of Democratic state senator Phillip Puckett threw control of the state Senate to the GOP, Republicans took advantage of their new majority by passing a two-year budget plan that excludes the state Medicaid expansion supported by McAuliffe. In response, McAuliffe has made use of the line-item veto to strike down several portions of the budget and pledged to expand Medicaid without legislative approval. The GOP then used a procedural move on Monday to kill a critical veto that McAuliffe hoped would make it easier to expand Medicaid without going through the state legislature. McAuliffe has pledged to continue his push to expand Medicaid. “We are pleased that we have a governor who has stood his ground and kept the promise he campaigned on,” said Ron Thompson, President of the Virginia Alliance.

Maryland/DC Alliance Holds First Annual Awards Luncheon
On Saturday, Ms. Easterling attended the MD/DC Alliance’s first annual awards luncheon in Lanham, Maryland. The luncheon honored former MD/DC Alliance President Frank Stella with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of work on issues important to current and future retirees. Two other Alliance leaders were also recognized, with former MD/DC Vice President Maria Cordone receiving the Founders Award and Ida Williams-Ward, President of AFSCME Retirees Chapter 1, receiving the Trustees Award.

If Social Security Disability Insurance Made a Difference in Your Life, Tell us how!
The Alliance is collecting stories to share with Congress on the important role Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) plays in the lives of Americans. SSDI provides a lifeline that nearly 9 million disabled workers rely upon to feed, clothe, and shelter their families. “If you or a family member has seen first-hand the value of SSDI benefits, the Alliance wants to hear from you,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. How has SSDI made a difference in your life and your family’s?  Please send your story to aracommunications@retiredamericans.org. 

Retiree Activists Gather at Indiana Alliance Convention
On Monday, an enthusiastic crowd of more than 100 attendees turned out for the Indiana Alliance Convention in Indianapolis. Coordinated by Indiana Alliance President Elmer Blankenship, convention delegates passed a number of resolutions including a measure addressing climate change. “We must remain vigilant against the Paul Ryan budget in order to keep the promise of Medicare alive,” said Ms. Easterling at the convention.

Maryland/DC Alliance Member James (“Jimmy”) Allen Passes Away
Jimmy Allen, a beloved member of the Maryland/DC Alliance and former President of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, has passed away at the age of 71. A committed labor activist, Mr. Allen also served many years as Vice President of the Maryland State/DC AFL-CIO and on the Executive Board of the AFL-CIO Metro Washington Council. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and his daughter, Kimberly. “We will miss Jimmy’s sense of humor and kind nature,” said Mr. Fiesta. “He had many friends at the Alliance, and we will always remember him fondly.” For a photo from the funeral service honoring Jimmy, go to http://tinyurl.com/k8xf9ka.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/UQL2hy.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org

Congressperson, Jackie Walorski Votes Against Retirees.....Again.

Health Care Repeal II

The House passed a bill, introduced by Rep. Price, R-GA, that would prohibit the Treasury Department from implementing the Affordable Care Act. The 2010 law included several pro-retiree provisions including the elimination of co-pays and deductibles for preventive care screenings and an annual wellness checkup beginning in 2011. The law also included the closing of the Part D doughnut hole coverage gap and the phasing out of overpayments to Medicare Advantage insurance companies. The bill passed 232-185. A NO vote is a pro-retiree vote but Indiana Representative,  Jackie Walorski once again voted against retirees. H.R. 2009, Roll Call No. 447, August 2, 2013.

UNION VETERANS - The U.S. Mail is Not for Sale to Staples

For more than 235 years, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been one of the nation’s largest employers of Veterans, second only to the Department of Defense.

Currently the USPS has nearly 120-thousand employees — 21 percent of the workforce — who have worn their military and postal uniforms with pride.

Staples attacks good jobs and public post offices.

Staples and the U.S. Postal Service have cut a deal that jeopardizes your mail service and your local post office. In fact, post offices across the country are at risk – along with thousands of good jobs.
The Staples deal will replace full-service U.S. Post Offices with knock-off post offices in Staples stores that are not staffed with U.S. Postal Service employees.

A bad deal for workers and consumers.

You have a right to post offices staffed by workers who are accountable to you and the American people. You have a right to postal services provided by highly trained, uniformed Postal Service employees, who are sworn to safeguard your mail – whether it’s at the Post Office or Staples.

The Staples deal is bad for consumers like you who will pay the same for less service. And if Staples and the USPS move forward with this deal, it could lead to the end of the Postal Service as we know it.

Undermining good jobs.

In the meantime, the Staples deal is replacing good-paying jobs that our community depends on with low-wage jobs that hurt our economy.

Tell Staples: The U.S. Mail is Not for Sale!

Text POSTAL to 91990 or visit StopStaples.com.

Union Veterans

IAM Retiree and activist Joe Reilly, a 101st Airborne paratrooper on D-Day, will be featured on NBC Nightly News’ D-Day 70th Anniversary coverage on Friday, June 6 at 8 p.m. EDT. Reilly, 94, is a 58-year IAM member in his 28th year of retirement. He remains active in the IAM and in politics in his home state of California. Click here to read more about Reilly. http://www.goiam.org/index.php/imail/latest/12842-iam-retiree-d-day-vet-joe-reilly-to-appear-friday-on-nbc-news

The IAM scored a second important organizing victory, this time for 475 office and clerical personnel employed by L3 at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) in Corpus Christi, TX. This follows an April organizing win for 450 helicopter mechanics and technicians at the same facility. http://www.goiam.org/index.php/imail/latest/12917-machinists-win-back-to-back-organizing-drives-in-texas-

It’s Time to Staff the VA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Wgh12yRMs

 LIUNA: Fix Our Bridges, Roads; Fund the Highway Bill

With the Highway Trust Fund running out of money, thanks to congressional inaction, crucial highway and bridge repair projects could be shut down starting this summer. On Monday, the Laborers (LIUNA) launched a 22-city “Getting Schooled in Infrastructure” tour to spotlight the need to pass a long-term, full-investment highway bill this year in order to keep the nation’s roads and bridges from falling into even more dangerous disrepair.

http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Political-Action-Legislation/LIUNA-Fix-Our-Bridges-Roads-Fund-the-Highway-Bill

Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski Votes Against Retirees

Health Care Repeal 1

The House passed health care reform repeal legislation, introduced by Rep. Bachmann, R-MN. The 2010 Affordable Care Act included several pro-retiree provisions including the elimination of co-pays and deductibles for preventive care screenings and an annual wellness checkup beginning in 2011. The law also included the closing for the Part D doughnut hole coverage gap and the phasing out of overpayments to Medicare Advantage insurance companies. The bill passed 229-195. A NO vote is the pro-retiree vote. Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski voted against retirees. H.R. 45, Roll Call No. 154, May 16, 2013.

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 6-13-14

Headlines:
Leaders in Washington Pushing to Strengthen and Expand Social Security;
Wild Week in Virginia Shifts Political Landscape;
Activists Plan Events in Response to ALEC’s Annual Meeting in Dallas;
Millennials May Be Headed For Retirement Hardship;
North Carolina Alliance Holds Golf Tournament, Sees Great Results

Leaders in Washington Pushing to Strengthen and Expand Social Security
In a sign that the push to expand Social Security is continuing to build support, on Wednesday Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Retirement and Income Security Enhancements (RAISE) Act. The RAISE Act would enhance Social Security benefits for widows, widowers, and divorced spouses while extending benefit eligibility for children of retired, disabled, and deceased workers.
The RAISE Act is not the only proposal to expand Social Security. Last year, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced the Strengthening Social Security Act (S. 567) in the Senate, with Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) introducing a companion bill in the House (H.R. 3118). The Strengthening Social Security Act proposes adjusting the benefits formula to provide an increase in benefits for most beneficiaries and improving the program’s finances by lifting the earnings cap on Social Security contributions.

“With multiple expansion bills under consideration, it’s clear that an increasing number of leaders in Washington realize the importance of strengthening and expanding our Social Security system,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President for the Alliance. If you have not already signed the petition calling on senators to stand up in support of the RAISE Act, go to http://bit.ly/1jmKXYq.

Wild Week in Virginia Shifts Political Landscape
During a tumultuous week in Virginia politics, two politicians are now out of their posts in moves with major implications at both the state and national levels. At the national level, a shocking result in the Virginia GOP primary saw U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R) lose to Tea Party candidate David Brat. Following the loss, Rep. Cantor announced his resignation from the Majority Leader position, effective July 31st. Cantor’s loss will have ripple effects throughout the House Republican leadership. The result is also expected to revitalize the Tea Party after a primary season in which Tea Party candidates nationwide have otherwise had little success challenging establishment Republicans. Cantor has a 2% lifetime voting record with the Alliance (http://tinyurl.com/kxfrped). Read more on Cantor’s defeat at http://cnn.it/TNTCNE.

Earlier in the week, on Monday, Virginia Republicans had taken control of the state Senate after the unexpected resignation of Democratic state senator Phillip P. Puckett. Republicans now control the Virginia Senate by a 20-to-19 margin. Following the resignation, Republicans immediately ended a budget standoff that had threatened to shut down the state’s government in the coming weeks. The impasse was brought on by a proposed Medicaid expansion under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. Expanding health coverage to 400,000 low income Virginians has been a top priority for Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). Mr. McAuliffe had traveled to hospitals that serve the poor in rural districts of conservative lawmakers, seeking to pressure them to endorse his plan to join the 26 states that embraced Medicaid expansion under the president’s health care law. He is now widely believed to be studying how to enact a Medicaid expansion without the legislature.

“Any time the health care of 400,000 people is put at risk, it is extremely unfortunate,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance.

Puckett’s resignation was clouded in controversy as news quickly leaked that he was set to receive a job as deputy director of the state’s Tobacco Commission and that his daughter was in line for a judicial appointment. Puckett subsequently removed himself from consideration for the Commission post. For more on the resignation, go to http://wapo.st/Uwdbus.

Activists Plan Events in Response to ALEC’s Annual Meeting in Dallas
The shadowy American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) will be heading to Dallas from July 30th to August 1st for its annual meeting. The Dallas-Fort Worth area chapters of the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans are working with North Texas Jobs with Justice and an anti-ALEC coalition to organize a number of upcoming events in order to draw attention to ALEC’s anti-retiree and anti-worker agenda, putting pressure on ALEC-linked politicians to cut ties with the corporate-backed organization. The events kicked off this Thursday with a teach-in and concert featuring folk musician and political activist Anne Feeney. Numerous grassroots actions, including workshops and protests, will be held in the Dallas area through late July. The main protest and rally will take place on July 30th. For more on the upcoming events, see the flyer at http://bit.ly/1jmENHD.

Millennials May Be Headed For Retirement Hardship
A recent Merrill Lynch survey looking at generational attitudes towards retirement security suggests that millennials expect Social Security and employer-provided pensions to make up less of their retirement income than previous generations. Millennials, a term researchers and commentators often use to refer to those with birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s, expect to rely more heavily on employment income and personal savings. With record levels of student debt, high unemployment rates curbing future earnings, and low rates of retirement savings, millennials may be counting on savings that don’t ever materialize. According to New Republic, if millennials’ expectations about relying on personal savings prove accurate, these younger workers may face economic hardship in retirement or be left working for years longer than previous generations.

“This survey underscores the importance of strengthening Social Security and protecting pension programs so that our children and grandchildren are able to enjoy a dignified, secure retirement,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer for the Alliance. More at  http://bit.ly/1hN3wK5.

North Carolina Alliance Holds Golf Tournament, Sees Great Results
On Monday, the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans held their 3rd Annual Golf Tournament at Holly Ridge Golf Links in Archdale, NC. Twenty-one golfers, 10 sponsors and 30 donors took part! Congratulations go out to SEIU member Lewis Sasse, who won the affiliate's first ever raffle. The prize was a 42-inch flat screen HDTV. “This year’s golf tournament was our most successful to date,” said North Carolina Alliance President Jim Moore. “Thank you to all of our volunteers & sponsors.” To view a photo from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/q2zafpz.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://tinyurl.com/mxllppw.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org