Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 6-7-13

Headlines:
States That Reject Medicaid Expansion Will Spend Billions More To Cover Fewer
Human Chain Events against the Chained CPI Take Shape for July 2
Alliance Takes over LCAO Stewardship
North Carolina, Florida, and Indiana Alliance Chapters Hold Their Conventions
Alliance Remembers Senator Frank Lautenberg

States That Reject Medicaid Expansion Will Spend Billions More To Cover Fewer
According to a new study in the journal Health Affairs, states would save money by accepting the Medicaid expansion in President Obama's health care law. The study finds that fourteen of the states that have rejected the expansion will spend a combined $1 billion more on uncompensated care, and give up $8.4 billion in payments from the federal government. In addition, 3.6 million Americans who would have received coverage in the expansion will remain uninsured. Opposition to accepting the funds comes from ultra-conservative governors and state legislators. More in The Hill at http://tinyurl.com/lguy98b.

The Medicaid expansion has become an extremely divisive issue among Republicans. Several Republican governors, including Jan Brewer (AZ) and John Kasich (OH) who are attempting to expand Medicaid, are being opposed by state legislatures controlled by their own party. At this time, twenty-three states have decided to expand Medicaid, nineteen have decided to reject the expansion, and eight are still debating the issue. The Washington Post details the intra-party feud at http://tinyurl.com/lgjtlqs.

“Expanding Medicaid will provide vital health insurance for millions of Americans, including many retirees,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Regardless of party affiliation, lawmakers should not play games with their citizens’ health.”

Human Chain Events against the Chained CPI Take Shape for July 2
New events are being added regularly to the Alliance’s July 2 Human Chain Event web page. On that date, activists around the country will form a “Human Chain against the Chained CPI” in front of key Congressional offices and Federal Buildings. It is a National Day of Action for the Alliance and its partners to stop the chained CPI: a formula change that would cut Social Security benefits by $6,000 over 15 years for a 65-year-old who retired in 2011. Thirty-eight events across the country are posted at http://tinyurl.com/pd8pbsz, and more events and details will be added next week.

Alliance Takes over LCAO Stewardship
On Wednesday, the Alliance took over the gavel for a year of heading up the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), succeeding the National Council on Aging (NCOA). LCAO is a coalition comprised of 68 of the nation’s diverse non-profit organizations that serve older Americans. It is dedicated to preserving and strengthening the well-being of America’s older population, and provides a loud voice for seniors and their families in the ongoing national debate on aging policy.

North Carolina, Florida, and Indiana Alliance Chapters Hold Their Conventions
National Alliance President Barbara J. Easterling swore in the elected officers, and North Carolina State AFL-CIO President James Andrews spoke at the North Carolina Alliance convention in Durham on Tuesday. State President Jim Moore and the entire state leadership were elected for another 2-year term. The theme of the convention this year was the creation of new activists. To view photographs from the convention, go to http://tinyurl.com/kdxky55.

On Monday and Tuesday this week, the Florida Alliance held its annual convention in Orlando. Tony Fransetta was re-elected as President and Richard Fiesta, Director of the Department of Government and Political Affairs for the national Alliance, represented the DC office. They were joined by many State House and Senate members and other distinguished guests. A highlight of the conference: sending get-well cards to three state legislators who voted not to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid. The cards wished “a speedy recovery from whatever affliction that has caused you to turn your backs on Florida's working families, businesses and hospitals.” To read more, go to http://tinyurl.com/mn5emax.

On May 29 in Indianapolis, 125 delegates attended as Elmer Blankenship was re-elected President of the Indiana Alliance. Ms. Easterling was a speaker at the convention and declared, “Call us old school, but we believe that the promises made through Social Security and private pensions must be honored in full.  We believe that Medicare should take care better care of seniors’ health than CEOs’ wealth.  We believe in sacrifice when times get tough, but also that we should not ask those with the least to sacrifice the most.” Other guests included Rep. André Carson (D-IN), who has a lifetime 100% voting record with the Alliance; UAW regional director Ken Lortz; Warren Danford, the UAW’s retiree director and a member of the national Alliance’s Executive Board; and Tim Foley, who serves on both the Alliance’s Executive Board and also the Regional Board.

Alliance Remembers Senator Frank Lautenberg
This Monday, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) passed away at the age of 89. Lautenberg, a five- term senator who was first elected in 1982, was the oldest member of the Senate and the last remaining WWII veteran. According to the Alliance’s 2012 Congressional Voting Record, Lautenberg received a high lifetime score of 93%, illustrating his commitment throughout his career to issues important to seniors. He was a vocal opponent of attempts to weaken Medicare and Social Security, including the Ryan Budget and chained CPI.

“The Alliance would like to thank Senator Lautenberg for his many years of advocacy on behalf of seniors and all Americans,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “His voice will be sorely missed.”

Gov. Christie appointed New Jersey Attorney General Jeff Chiesa on Thursday to fill the Senate seat left unfilled by Sen. Lautenberg’s death, opening the field for a special election on October 16. Mr. Chiesa, a fellow Republican and close friend to Mr. Christie, won't run in that election.

Did You Know…
More than half of retirees above the median U.S. income cite pensions as a major source of funding, double the percentage for lower-income retirees. Seven in 10 lower-income retirees cite Social Security as a major source of funds (Source: Gallup).

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/15HERML.

Retirees Helped with Rx Costs through Obamcares

In 2013, the Medicare Part D drug benefit doughnut hole is from $2970 to $7720. Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, when beneficiaries fell into the doughnut thole, they had to pay 100% of the costs of their prescription medications. The new health care law provides drug discounts and subsidies to help fill in the doughnut hole. In 2013, Medicare beneficiaries who fall in the Part D drug benefit doughnut hole will receive a 50% discount on the price of their brand name drugs. Beneficiaries who fall in the doughnut hole will also receive a 21% government subsidy toward the cost of generic drugs and 2.5% government subsidy toward the cost of brand name drugs. Thus, the total out-of-pocket costs (this includes what beneficiaries pay -- deductible and co-payments -- plus drug discounts) is $4750. The doughnut hole will be closed by 2020.

Jan Laue Speaks for Iowa

Remarks on IRS Hearing

Congresswoman Walorski, What is Your Healthcare Plan?

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Act provides numerous benefits for seniors under Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s just one of them: Prior to passage of the ACA, Medicare allowed for a one-time free check up when seniors joined the Medicare program. In 2011, seniors began receiving a free check up; this benefit is now available on a yearly basis. My Congresswoman, Jackie Walorski voted to repeal the ACA. Does anyone know what the Republicans Health Care Plan is?

Madame Butterfly

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 5-31-13

Headlines: 
Trustees Reports: Social Security Steady, Medicare Financial Outlook Improved;
Immigrants are Helping Medicare’s Solvency;
UMWA Speaks Out Against Bankruptcy Ruling That Cuts Off Retiree Health Care;Report Ranks States Based on Measures of Senior Health;Alliance Observes Memorial Day;
Obituary: NARA Member Janice Ayres

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Here is your May 31st edition:

Trustees Reports: Social Security Steady, Medicare Financial Outlook Improved
The Social Security and Medicare Trustees issued their annual reports on the state of the two programs’ finances today. Social Security, according to its Trustees, has a $2.7 trillion surplus, enough to fully meet the demands of a growing retiree cohort through 2033 – the same as last year. With no action from Congress, it would cover most benefits through 2087. The Trustees report for Medicare noted that its Trust Fund, which covers hospital care, can fully pay benefits through 2026 – two years later than forecast last year. The Medicare trustees report shows reduced cost growth; this is further proof in many experts’ eyes that health care reform is working for seniors.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Alliance Executive Director Edward Coyle issued a joint statement about the reports. “We must call out those who will try to misuse today’s  report as political cover for unwarranted and ill-advised benefit cuts, like switching to the ‘chained CPI’ to calculate Social Security’s annual cost of living increase (COLA),” Mr. Trumka and Mr. Coyle said. To read their full statement, go to http://tinyurl.com/k6qnk3u.


Immigrants are Helping Medicare’s Solvency
Kaiser Health News, quoting a study in the journal Health Affairs, reported on Wednesday that immigrants contribute more to Medicare than they take out. Between 2002 and 2009, immigrants generated a cumulative surplus of $115 billion for the trust fund, the study found. Most of the surplus contribution came from noncitizens. The immigrants created a net gain primarily because of demographics: There are 6.5 immigrants of working age for every one elderly immigrant, but only 4.7 working-age native citizens for every one retiree. That ratio could change in the future; however, the report notes that the Census Bureau projects that the share of immigrants in the U.S. will increase for the next 18 years.

Kaiser reports that the authors added personal views not often found in academic papers of this sort, writing, “…economic concerns — including the worry that immigrants are driving up US health care costs — have often dominated the debate over immigration. Our data offer a new perspective on these economic concerns.” The fullKaiser article is available at http://tinyurl.com/nrxfjko.


UMWA Speaks Out Against Bankruptcy Ruling That Cuts Off Retiree Health Care
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Missouri has ruled in favor of proposals by Patriot Coal to eliminate its collective bargaining agreements. The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has adamantly denounced the ruling and plans to appeal in Federal District Court. Patriot was created by Peabody Energy in 2007 with 43 percent of Peabody’s liabilities but just 11 percent of its assets. Because Patriot was created with insufficient assets to meet its liabilities to retired miners, analysts such as Bruce Rader, Professor of Finance at Temple University, have described the company as “designed to fail.” By creating Patriot and allowing it to go bankrupt, Peabody has deprived tens of thousands of workers of the benefits they earned. 

Under the Bankruptcy Court’s ruling, Patriot will be allowed to cease paying for retiree health care benefits as early as July 1. Responsibility for paying benefits would be handed over to a Voluntary Employee Beneficial Association (VEBA), which will only have guaranteed funding of $15 million plus a royalty payment of $0.20 per ton of coal the company produces, which may add approximately $5 million to the VEBA per year. Current health care costs for these retirees average nearly $7 million per month.

“What Peabody Coal is doing is absolutely criminal.  They are using our nation’s bankruptcy laws as a license to steal from the sick and the elderly,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “You cannot break a promise just because you want to make more money.”  Ms. Easterling was arrested earlier this month at a peaceful protest of Peabody’s actions in St. Louis.

Report Ranks States Based on Measures of Senior Health
A new report ranks the 50 states based on 34 different measures of senior health. These measures range from the rates of chronic conditions among seniors to the availability of medical care to the  rate of seniors living in poverty. Minnesota, which has a high number of home health care workers and a low rate of hunger among seniors, was ranked the best state for senior health. Mississippi, which has a high percentage of seniors living in poverty and a high rate of premature death, was the lowest ranked state. To read a USA Today story about the report, go tohttp://tinyurl.com/o3aotx6. To view the report itself, go to http://tinyurl.com/llkopd4.

“This report shows a wide range of variability between different areas of the country,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “While even the highest ranked states still have some challenges to overcome, we hope that this report will present an opportunity for state governments to learn from each other and implement policies that are currently in place in highly ranked states.”

Alliance Observes Memorial Day
On Monday, the Alliance joined with the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council in observing Memorial Day. The holiday marks a reminder of the importance of Social Security not just for retirees but also for other groups in need of Social Security benefits, including the survivors of the brave military men and women who are killed in action. “Since 1868, this holiday has served as a moment when Americans remember the men and women of the military who lost their lives to preserve our freedom,” said James Gilbert, Director of the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council.

Obituary: NARA Member Janice Ayres
Beloved Nevada Alliance member Janice Ayres passed away on Monday. She was 92. Her obituary in the Nevada Appeal can be read at http://tinyurl.com/jvthxam. A celebration of her life will be held on June 7th at 11:00 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church at 115 N. Division Street in Carson City. 

“On behalf of the Nevada Alliance Board of Directors and our members, we extend our deepest sympathies to the Ayres family, the Nevada Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) staff, and all seniors for whom Janice fought and assisted,” said Scotty Watts, President of the Nevada Alliance. “She was my dear friend and she will always be remembered for her compassion for seniors.”

For a printable version of this document, go to http://tinyurl.com/lvbl9ob.

Social Security System Continues to Work

For Immediate Release
Contacts: Josh Goldstein – 202/637-5219 or jgoldstein@aflcio.org
                  David Blank – 202/637-5275 or dblank@retiredamericans.org

Joint Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and
Retiree Leader Edward Coyle
on the 2013 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports
May 31, 2013

The most important message from the 2013 Social Security Trustees Report is that our Social Security system continues to work for the American people.  After years of economic crisis for working families, Social Security is in better shape and more dependable than 401(k)s, private pensions, or any other public or private program.  We must call out those who will try to misuse today’s  report as political cover for unwarranted and ill-advised benefit cuts, like switching to the “chained CPI” to calculate Social Security’s annual cost of living increase (COLA).

The truth is that at a time when America’s retirement income deficit is estimated to be an astounding $6.6 trillion because too many people have nothing or too little in pensions or savings, we cannot afford to cut Social Security’s modest benefits in anyway whatsoever, including how it keeps pace with inflation through its annual COLA.   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. 

Social Security provides a critical base of financial security and dignity for Americans in retirement or unable to work due to disability or when a working parent dies and is survived by young children. Going forward, strong economic growth broadly shared will serve to strengthen the program further.

While much might be made of the projected shortfall in the disability trust fund, there is a simple step that should be taken to address any short-run concerns.  As it has done eleven times before, Congress should reallocate the income across the two funds.

The good news from today’s Medicare Trustees report, extending the life of the Hospital Insurance trust fund by another two years to 2026, reminds us that we do not have a Medicare problem.  We have a health care cost problem.  Recent reforms have helped strengthen Medicare and appear to have contributed to a significant slowing of health costs overall in the short run.  If we are to succeed in the long run, however, we need to continue taking steps to make health care more affordable and the health care system more cost effective, and reject proposals to cut benefits or shift costs to individuals.

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The AFL-CIO is the umbrella federation for U.S. unions, with 57 unions representing more than 12 million working men and women.

The Alliance for Retired Americans is a national organization that advocates for the rights and well-being of over 4 million retirees and their families.

Barbara Easterling Addresses Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans Convention

Memorial Day Massacre 1937

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 5-24-13

Headlines:
Voting Record Rates “The Most Unproductive Congress” in Nation’s Modern History;
In Conference Call, Sen. Harkin Explains Plan to Give Seniors an Extra $800 per Year;
Add Your Ideas for the AFL-CIO Convention!;
Join Us in Creating Human Chains against Chained CPI on July 2;
Projected Spending Numbers for Medicare and Medicaid Reduced by $900 Billion;
President Easterling is among those Arrested at United Mine Workers Protest;
New York State Alliance Holds its Convention;
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Hear from Coyle, Richard Fiesta

Voting Record Rates “The Most Unproductive Congress” in Nation’s Modern History
On Monday, the Alliance released its annual report detailing the voting record of every U.S. Senator and Representative on key issues affecting current and future retirees. The document, available at http://www.retiredamericans.org/issues/congressional-voting-record, examined 10 key Senate votes and 10 key House votes in 2012. It contains the roll calls on issues such as: whether to privatize Medicare and create a voucher-like system in its place; whether to turn Medicaid into a block grant system; and whether to undo key Affordable Care Act provisions that benefit seniors. For the first time, the report is available in Spanish (at same link).

“This past year we saw the most unproductive Congress in modern American history finally come to an end, passing fewer than 250 bills in two years,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “The House even refused to vote on needed relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Yet, it voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act, even after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on its constitutionality. In contrast, while attacks on core retiree programs continued, many in Congress voted to preserve a tax system that favors the wealthiest Americans. For more than a decade, the wealthiest Americans have received trillions in tax breaks while older Americans have seen rising drug, health care, food, and energy costs.” To see the full press release about the report, go to http://tinyurl.com/plx7kov.


In Conference Call, Sen. Harkin Explains Plan to Give Seniors an Extra $800 per Year
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, called “The Strengthening Social Security Act of 2013,” (S.567) would put as much as an extra $800 in your pocket every year. Sen. Harkin addressed over 4,000 Alliance members and activists in a Telephone Town Hall on Monday, when they heard him explain his bill. The bill also increases the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to better reflect the cost of goods and services typically used by older Americans; strengthens the Social Security Trust Fund; and ensures the program is solvent for decades to come. If you have not already done so, sign our Strengthening Social Security Act Petition right now at http://tinyurl.com/ohhdzy6.


Add Your Ideas for the AFL-CIO Convention!
The AFL-CIO will hold its quadrennial convention September 8-11 in Los Angeles this year. Help shape the agenda! Propose a session or host a discussion at http://tinyurl.com/nbhnxbb.


Join Us in Creating Human Chains against Chained CPI on July 2
On Tuesday July 2nd, the Alliance will sponsor a National Day of Action in which we focus specifically on elevating grassroots voices in the battle to protect and enhance retirement security. We will work together to create a human chain in front of Congressional offices, key Federal buildings, and other strategic locations in states around the country. It will be a Human Chain against the Chained CPI!  The National Alliance will host a media event in DC with a smaller chain to create powerful symbolism of what the States are doing, spotlighting the national day of action. More information about the day is available at http://tinyurl.com/pd8pbsz.

“On the National Day of Action, Alliance members around the country will send Congress a full throated message,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. “We refuse to be chained by the Chained CPI.”


Projected Spending Numbers for Medicare and Medicaid Reduced by $900 Billion
According to new figures released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO’s), projections of cumulative Medicare and Medicaid spending over the decade from 2010-2020 have been sharply reduced. Since late 2010, the CBO’s estimation of Medicare costs has fallen by $590 billion and its estimation of Medicaid cuts by $311 billion. This is not a result of any cuts to the programs, but is instead part of a larger trend of reduced health care costs over the last few years. To read a report from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities explaining more, go to http://tinyurl.com/ojym5eb.

“The decrease in projected spending shows that these programs are strong and healthy and will remain so for the foreseeable future as long as they are protected from the misguided ‘reforms’ like raising the eligibility age for Medicare and shifting more costs to beneficiaries,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “This is clear evidence that any cuts or major changes to Medicare or Medicaid in the guise of ‘protecting’ the programs are entirely unnecessary.”


President Easterling is among those Arrested at United Mine Workers Protest
Thousands of United Mine Workers rallied outside Peabody Energy in St. Louis on Tuesday, furious that the coal company loaded much of its union contract obligations onto a spinoff company - Patriot Coal - that was designed to fail. Patriot's plan will cut health care and retirement benefits, and about a dozen protesters were peacefully arrested for sitting in the street. Among them: Alliance President Easterling. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court is scheduled to issue a ruling on the Patriot Coal case sometime before May 29, unless all parties agree to seek an extension. To see a photo of Ms. Easterling at the protest, go to http://tinyurl.com/p2nt5nl. “What Peabody Coal is doing is absolutely criminal.  They are using our nation’s bankruptcy laws as a license to steal.  They are stealing from the sick and the elderly.  They are stealing from widows,” said Ms. Easterling at the rally.


New York State Alliance Holds its Convention
New York’s annual state Alliance convention took place in Albany on Thursday, drawing over 60 delegates. Speakers included Dani Pere, Director of Field Mobilization for the national Alliance; Eric Kingson, so-director of Social Security Works, and several others, including representatives from the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the AFL-CIO. Discussions focused on topics including chained CPI; planning for the July 2nd National Day of Action; and a report on state pensions. Elected to office were: Dennis Tracey, State President; Doris Welch, Secretary; Dorothy Breen, Treasurer; Paul Schuh, Labor VP; and Molly Krakowski, Community VP.


Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Hear from Coyle, Richard Fiesta
Mr. Coyle and Richard Fiesta, Director of the national Alliance’s Department of Government and Political Affairs, addressed an energized crowd of over 100 Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) members in Orlando on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.


For a printable version of this document, go to http://tinyurl.com/p9rb7mr.

Listen to Anna Netrebko

For Immediate Release
May 20, 2013
Contact: David Blank – 202/637-5275 or dblank@retiredamericans.org

Retiree Voting Record Released for 2nd Session of 112th Congress

“The Most Unproductive Congress in Modern American History”

Washington, DC – To begin the third week of May, which is Older Americans Month, the Alliance for Retired Americans today released a new report detailing the voting record of every U.S. Senator and Representative on key issues affecting current and future retirees. The document is available at http://www.retiredamericans.org/issues/congressional-voting-record.

The Alliance voting record examined 10 key Senate votes and 10 key House votes in 2012, showing the roll calls on issues such as: whether to privatize Medicare and create a voucher-like system in its place; whether to turn Medicaid into a block grant system; and whether to undo key Affordable Care Act provisions that benefit seniors.

“This past year we saw the most unproductive Congress in modern American history finally come to an end, passing fewer than 250 bills in two years,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “The House even refused to vote on needed relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Yet, it voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act, even after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on its constitutionality.”

“In contrast, while attacks on core retiree programs continued, many in Congress voted to preserve a tax system that favors the wealthiest Americans,” continued Ms. Easterling. “For more than a decade, the wealthiest Americans have received trillions in tax breaks while older Americans have seen rising drug, health care, food, and energy costs.”

According to the Alliance, 155 U.S. House members achieved perfect scores of 100 percent in 2012.  One hundred fifty-four received scores of zero. One of those zeroes belonged to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), whose budget has been used as a blueprint for House Republican leaders.

In the Senate, 115 filibuster threats grounded work to a near standstill on dozens of issues. Eighteen members of the U.S. Senate achieved perfect scores of 100 percent in 2011, while another 19 received zeroes.

“This Voting Record reflects how committed our elected representatives are to retirees and older Americans,” Ms. Easterling said. “It is intended to educate, thereby helping to create an America that protects the health and economic security of seniors, strengthens families and builds safe and thriving communities. Higher scores on the 2012 Voting Record reflect a commitment to protect seniors and ask the wealthiest American people and corporations pay their fair share.”

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The Alliance for Retired Americans is a national organization that advocates for the rights and well-being of over 4 million retirees and their families.

Join Senator Harkin Today.

Thanks so much for speaking out in opposition to the Chained CPI Benefit cut.  As you may have heard, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) recently introduced the Strengthen Social Security Act, S.567.   Instead of a cold, calculated benefit cut like the chained CPI, this bill would actually increase Social Security Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA's) by an average of $800!

On Monday, May 20th at 3:30 EST, the Alliance is holding a special tele-town hall briefing with Senator Harkin (D-IA) and Alliance activists like you.  On the call, Senator Harkin will talk about the Strengthen Social Security Act and other efforts to protect retirement security.  In addition, we will talk about Alliance activities happening in your state and how you can get involved to protect retirement security.

Sign-up here to join the tele-town hall on Monday.

With the help of Alliance activist like you, we can build the public support for strengthening Social Security and make sure we are not part of the last generation to retire.

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 5-17-13

Headlines: 
Join Sen. Harkin for a Tele-Town Hall about Social Security Legislation on Monday;Affordable Care Act Repeal Votes Have Cost More than $52 Million;Obituary: Washington State’s Will Parry, a Giant in the Seniors Political Movement;
Fees for Medical Procedures Vary Inexplicably from Hospital to Hospital;Alliance Activists Lobby in Connecticut, Illinois, California

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Join Sen. Harkin for a Tele-Town Hall about Social Security Legislation on Monday
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) recently introduced the Strengthen Social Security Act, S.567. Instead of offering a cold, calculated benefit cut like the chained CPI, this bill would actually increase Social Security Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA’s) by an average of $800! On Monday, May 20th at 3:30 EST, the Alliance is holding a special tele-town hall briefing with Sen. Harkin. On the call, he will talk about the Strengthen Social Security Act and other efforts to protect retirement security. In addition, we will talk about Alliance activities happening in your state and how you can get involved to protect retirement security. For more information, and to participate on Monday, go tohttp://tinyurl.com/a9ctrzm. Click on http://tinyurl.com/a2gxhtl for more on the chained CPI. For the Alliance letter in support of Harkin’s bill, go to http://tinyurl.com/cnpnxaa.

“With the help of Alliance activists , we can build the public support for strengthening Social Security and make sure we are not part of the last generation to retire,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance.

Mr. Coyle represented the Alliance at a “Kitchen Cabinet” meeting this week with another U.S. Senator, Bernie Sanders (I-VT), regarding the safeguarding of Social Security for current and future retirees. The Alliance joined with other leading seniors groups in a robust strategy discussion.

Affordable Care Act Repeal Votes Have Cost More than $52 Million
The House voted 229-195 on Thursday to pass H.R. 45, legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act. Thursday was at least the 43rd day since Republicans took over the House that they have devoted time to vote on bills to repeal or defund the 2010 legislation designed to provide health coverage for the uninsured. Since 2011, Republicans have spent no less than 15 percent of their time on the House floor on repeal in some way. Based on time spend to operate the Capitol, the GOP anti-health crusade has so far cost American taxpayers a total of $52.4 million (source: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office). To read more, see the New York Times article at http://tinyurl.com/aqwqthj. For a tally of the Thursday vote, go to http://tinyurl.com/ahxedgp.

“This issue has already been considered and decided. Despite yesterday’s House vote, it is the law of the land. It is time to move on,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

Obituary: Washington State’s Will Parry, a Giant in the Seniors Political Movement
Beloved President Emeritus and Editor of the Retiree Advocate in Washington State, Will Parry, died peacefully on Monday afternoon after an extended period of illness. Will was a warrior for economic and social justice for more than seven decades and was widely known, loved and respected. He was with the Washington State Alliance since its inception, and had been with the National Council of Senior Citizens before that. Labor, community and religious leaders considered him the heart, soul, and intellectual leader of the Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA), and he will be sorely missed. A memorial will take place at the Labor Temple in Seattle at the end of June. Donations in his name may be made to Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action at 2800 1st Ave. #262, Seattle, WA 98121 to continue his work.

Fees for Medical Procedures Vary Inexplicably from Hospital to Hospital
There are often huge, discrepancies in fees hospitals charge for the same procedure. Count Jonathan Blum, Medicare’s deputy administrator, among those who don’t understand the logic the hospitals use to arrive at those fees.

‘’It doesn’t make sense,” Blum said when asked to explain the reason. He noted that the higher charges don’t necessarily reflect better care. Even the American Hospital Association calls the current billing system, “complex and bewildering,” says USA Today.

To bring some clarity to the pricing, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published the costs for 100 common procedures at 3,337 hospitals (whttp:///www.cms.gov). The government hopes publishing comparative costs will promote competition and lower prices, especially as the Affordable Care Act begins taking effect.

“Geographical location; the complexity of the ailment; the length of the hospital stay; and the cost of running a teaching hospital are all factors,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer-of the Alliance. “But even if all the known factors are taken into account, the numbers are mystifying.”

According to the Associated Press (http://tinyurl.com/aqu9ubb ), the wide discrepancy in prices also cannot be totally explained by factoring in the cost of treating older, sicker or indigent patients. AP found that, exclusive of the doctors’ fees, the average charge for a joint replacement ranged from about $5,300 in Ada, Okla., to $223,000 in Monterey Park, Calif.

Private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid negotiate their own reimbursement rates with hospitals and doctors. The uninsured are often carried on the hospital’s books as being charged the full rate, but that amount is negotiated based on the patient’s ability to pay, and the truly indigent don’t pay at all.

Alliance Activists Lobby in Connecticut, Illinois, California
Alliance chapters in Connecticut, Illinois, and California have had Lobby Days this week. In Hartford on Tuesday, the Connecticut Alliance held its second annual “Senior Day at the Capitol.” Over 130 activists, their families and allies were in Hartford to meet with their elect officials. Participants then disbursed throughout the Capitol to address seniors' issues. The day ended with a well-attended press event. Speakers included Ms. Easterling; Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman; Speaker of the House Brendon Sharkey; House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz; and a host of other government officials and labor leaders.

Alliance activists in Illinois also lobbied their legislators at their State Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday. The local ABC affiliate covered the seniors’ quest for home health care funding - as well as their advocacy on other issues, such as Medicare – at http://tinyurl.com/anarvz8.

In addition, hundreds of California Alliance (CARA) members will be meeting with their State Assembly members and Senators in their district offices around the state today.

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

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 5-3-13

Headlines: 
President Obama Issues Proclamation Honoring Older Americans Month
Republicans Less Open about Support for Benefit Cuts to Social Security, Medicare
Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Expresses Concern over Obama Budget
Cancer Physicians Campaign to Make Lifesaving Medications More Affordable
Seniors - Especially Men - are at Higher Risk as Pedestrians!
AFL-CIO, Union Plus Offer “Dreams of Jobs and Freedom Scholarship” Program
Help the Post Office with Their Financial Problems While Saving Saturday Delivery!

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President Obama Issues Proclamation Honoring Older Americans MonthMay is Older Americans Month, when communities around the country come together to honor seniors. In the proclamation issued by the White House, President Obama notes the contributions retirees make to the country through volunteer programs such as Senior Corps.  You can read the proclamation at http://tinyurl.com/cgsrorp.

“Older Americans Month provides all Americans with an opportunity to recognize the contributions of seniors,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. “By working to expand the opportunities that retirees have to get involved in volunteer service, the Obama administration is helping seniors stay active in their communities.”

Republicans Less Open about Support for Benefit Cuts to Social Security, Medicare Reining in spending on Social Security and Medicare remains an important policy goal for the GOP, according to The Washington Post. However, Republican members of Congress are becoming increasingly ambivalent about their party’s demand to cut Social Security and Medicare. While Republican Party leaders state that these cuts remain a major goal of the party, they are currently choosing to be more vocal about other issues, such as tax reform. Republican Representatives admit that they are concerned about losing the votes of seniors in their districts due to their support of the benefit cuts, and therefore do not want to make these cuts a prominent talking point. To read the Washington Post story on the issue, go to http://tinyurl.com/cl7qx3q.

“Republicans are realizing that seniors will not sit by quietly while vital programs like Social Security and Medicare are cut,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “While this is unfortunately largely a change in rhetoric and prioritization, not a change in position, it is a signal that members of Congress are learning how great the political cost will be to them if they cut our benefits. We must continue to remind them regularly.”

Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Expresses Concern over Obama BudgetThe Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, a coalition of 68 nonprofit organizations (including the Alliance for Retired Americans) which work on issues impacting seniors, sent a letter to President Obama on Monday. In the letter, LCAO expresses concerns with several aspects of Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget, including chained CPI and proposals that shift certain Medicare costs towards beneficiaries. The letter also praises some aspects of the budget, including a provision that would allow Medicare to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs with pharmaceutical companies. To read the letter, go to http://tinyurl.com/coc6x54.

“The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, which represents a broad range of groups working to protect seniors, has taken a strong stance against chained CPI and Medicare cost shifting,” said Mr. Coyle. “We are hopeful that President Obama and members of his administration will heed the letter’s advice.” 

Cancer Physicians Campaign to Make Lifesaving Medications More AffordableOne hundred cancer specialists from around the world have banded together in support of an important cause: protesting the extremely high cost of many drugs used to treat cancer. Currently, the cost of some cancer drugs is over $100,000 a year. According to the doctors, these drugs can make a huge difference in patient outcomes but are often unaffordable. The physicians also point out that the drugs are priced much higher than they need to be for pharmaceutical companies to turn a reasonable level of profit, and that the companies have crossed the line into exploiting patients. To read a New York Times article about the story, go to http://tinyurl.com/bnofsj7.

“The Alliance strongly supports the effort to reduce the cost of cancer drugs,” said Ms. Easterling. “When pharmaceutical companies charge exorbitant prices for life-saving medications, it places a huge burden on seniors and programs like Medicare and Medicaid.”

Seniors - Especially Men - are at Higher Risk as Pedestrians!Pedestrians account for 13% of all motor-vehicle traffic deaths, even though walking accounts for just 10.5% of trips. The risk of pedestrian death increases slowly through life and peaks with people over age 75, who are more than twice as likely to be killed by a car than are people overall. The results were published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (http://tinyurl.com/bn6g6p8).  Men were found to be twice as likely as women to be killed as pedestrians. This may be due to men walking more often than women, as well as alcohol consumption, Laurie Beck, an epidemiologist who led the study says. Read the NPR story at http://tinyurl.com/bnqnll2.

AFL-CIO, Union Plus Offer “Dreams of Jobs and Freedom Scholarship” Program At the February AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting, leaders decided to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the March on Washington.  One of the ways this is being implemented is the authorization of the AFL-CIO and Union Plus “Dreams of Jobs and Freedom Scholarship” program. The AFL-CIO has partnered with the Union Privilege program to offer $5,000 scholarships to help talented high school seniors from families in need—including union families and those in the community—to help pay for the costs of higher education. The children and grandchildren of union members are eligible to apply. “The AFL-CIO has created a website where students can apply directly:www.aflcio.org/scholarship,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “If you know any good candidate, please tell them applications are due by July 1, 2013.”

Help the Post Office with Their Financial Problems While Saving Saturday Delivery!Help fix the immediate fiscal problems of the Postal Service by ending the pre-funding mandate and allowing the Postal Service to recover pension overpayments.  The Postal Service Protection Act solves the most immediate financial problem facing the Postal Service by eliminating the unique requirement that the postal service pre-fund 75 years of future retiree health benefits in just 10 years.  No other agency or company in America is required to pre-fund its retiree health benefits, especially on such an aggressive schedule.  Since 2007, this pre-funding mandate is responsible for about 80 percent of the Postal Service’s financial difficulties. The bill, introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), would also save Saturday delivery - which seniors rely on for their medications and other needs. Go to http://wh.gov/t95i  to sign the petition (Step-by-step instructions are at http://tinyurl.com/bmqvmvg.) For more background on the bill, go to http://tinyurl.com/cxk8jco. 

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/YslRm3.

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 4-26-13

Headlines: 
Grand Bargain: A Possible Scenario;
Tell Your U.S. Senators to Co-Sponsor the Resolution Opposing the Chained CPI;
House Democratic Caucus’ Seniors Task Force Re-Launches;
Senate Votes to End Air Traffic Controller Furloughs, Other Sequester Cuts Remain;
Scams are tied to Confusion over Health Care Reform

Grand Bargain: A Possible Scenario
On Tuesday, Forbes magazine’s online site offered a write-up on the likelihood of a “grand bargain” between Democrats and Republicans that would shrink the national deficit but cut earned benefits for seniors. Available athttp://tinyurl.com/czo72e2, it was written by Bob Rosenblatt, a writer and editor specializing in aging issues. He is also a senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance, a think tank dealing with Social Security and Medicare. The article addresses issues including a possible cut in your annual Social Security cost-of-living increases, as well as an increase in the age of eligibility for Medicare, from today’s 65 to 67, and explains the latest tweaks in the plan of Fiscal Commission co-chairs Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator, and Erskine Bowles, a formerClinton White House chief of staff.

President Obama’s 2014 budget proposal calls for cutting the size of Social Security’s annual cost-of-living benefit increases by switching to the chained CPI (Consumer Price Index) starting in 2015. The chained CPI grows, on average, about 0.3% a year more slowly than the standard CPI, meaning the president’s proposal would cut Social Security benefits by roughly $230 billion over 10 years. Obama recently ruled out raising Medicare’s eligibility age from 65 to 67, but Republicans favor it.

Asked if he believes Republicans would raise taxes in order to cut seniors' benefits, Len Nichols, director of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics at George Mason University said, “If they want the deal, they’ll give on revenues. If not, they will try to use the chained CPI as a wedge to drive the Democratic Party away from the president.” A new fact sheet and graph from the group Social Security Works explains what the chained CPI would mean. Go to http://tinyurl.com/d4gjvfd to view it.

Tell Your U.S. Senators to Co-Sponsor the Resolution Opposing the Chained CPI
Last week, Alliance members helped drive an increase in the number of co-sponsors for the Cicilline Resolution. This House Resolution expresses clear opposition to using the Chained CPI to calculate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security benefits. This week, the Alliance is doing the same in the Senate. We are encouraging our members to write their Senators and urge co-sponsorship of the Senate version of the Cicilline Resolution, S. Con. Res. 15, which has been introduced by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).  For a list of Senators who are already co-sponsors, go to http://tinyurl.com/ckogdz8.  If you have not done so yet, and would like to send a letter to your Senators urging them to become co-sponsors, go tohttp://tinyurl.com/bvvoomx. To see the Alliance letter from headquarters, sent Monday and urging all U.S. Senators to co-sponsor the resolution, go to http://tinyurl.com/cvexrn4.

House Democratic Caucus’ Seniors Task Force Re-Launches
On Wednesday, the House Democratic Caucus re-launched its Seniors Task Force, an initiative to raise awareness on issues that matter most to America’s seniors and work to protect and strengthen vital services that the aging population has earned through a lifetime of hard work. The Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL) and Doris Matsui (CA), announced that it will host its first meeting of the 113th Congress this week. The Task Force already has 38 members and expects to welcome more. For additional information, watch the video athttp://tinyurl.com/crokt2t.

“The Task Force is a key weapon against attempts to cut seniors’ earned benefits and reduce their retirement security,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

Senate Votes to End Air Traffic Controller Furloughs; Other Sequester Cuts Remain 
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill to end the furloughs of air traffic controllers. The bill would allow the U.S. transportation secretary to move $253 million from other programs in order to pay the air traffic controllers to work full time. This flexibility was not previously possible due to the across the board nature of the sequester cuts. The House of Representatives is expected to approve the measure. For more on the vote, read NPR’s write up at http://tinyurl.com/c2o2jb9.
“While we are pleased that the Senate has taken action to end the furloughs, piecemeal fixes and moving money around will not fundamentally change the impact of the sequester,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Until legislation is passed to repeal all of the sequester cuts, many programs vital to seniors, including meals on wheels, cancer clinics, and medical research, will remain crippled due to lack of funding.”

Scams are tied to Confusion over Health Care Reform
Law enforcement agencies are reporting an increase in health insurance scams across the country. Many of the fraudsters seem to be preying on the public’s confusion over the massive changes taking place in the nation’s health care system. According to Kaiser Health News, seniors are often targets -- they’re more likely to be home to answer the phone, and they tend to have retirement savings that scammers hope to tap.  But they aren’t the only victims: The federal government received nearly 83,000 complaints of “imposter scams” last year—up 12 percent from the year before (http://tinyurl.com/bpdlbq4).

“Don’t take calls from people you did not initiate contact with, who are offering to help you with your health care needs,” advised Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “And definitely don’t give them any personal information.”

Alliance Leadership Travel
Mr. Coyle was in New York on Wednesday for the New York City Alliance membership meeting. “I thoroughly enjoyed the enthusiastic question and answer session,” said Mr. Coyle. “It was wonderful to have such a great turnout.”

Did You Know…
“Opponents of any change in the Social Security CPI have collected 2.4 million signatures and are keeping the pressure on the White House.” (Forbes, referring to petitions opposing the chained CPI).

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/14W5QrB.

Why OSHA Was Created

Momentum is Building, Please Act Now.

Momentum is building! Thanks to Alliance activists like you, Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced a resolution in the House opposing the use of the Chained CPI with the support of over 80 cosponsors! 

Now the Senate is  acting on a similar resolution and we really need your help!  Yesterday Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT)  and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced a resolution opposing the use of the Chained CPI (S.CON.RES.15).  It is important the this resolution receive as much support as possible, so please contact your Senator right now and ask them to co-sponsor the resolution .

As you know, the Chained CPI would cut Cost of Living Adjustments for all current and future retirees. This means not only will people currently depending on their modest benefits be affected, but so will their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

It’s time to draw the line.  The Chained CPI is a benefit cut, plain and simple.  We must know where our senators stand on this issue.  Please ask them to cosponsor this Resolution to show that they stand on the side of seniors and working people who count on their Social Security benefits.

Ask your Senator to co-sponsor the Senate Resolution RIGHT NOW . Click here.

Austin Blackburn plays the Musical Saw

Del Lowery, The Podcaster for Retirees

Last week, Elaine and I went to the National Canadian SOAR Conference in Vancouver, B.C.

It was our first time visiting Canada and Vancouver was a very nice city to visit.

While there, we were able to meet the famous podcaster, Del Lowery and his wife, Brenda.

Del does a weekly podcast titled, Retirement Talk. You can find it at www.retirementtalk.org.

I highly recommend Del's podcasts. They give some really good perspectives on how to plan for retirement and how a person might enjoy retirement in ways that don't require much money.



The photo at left was taken at The Fish House restaurant. Seated from left to right are Elaine, Phyllis Pearson, yours truly, Del Lowery and Brenda.

You can read about Del and Brenda at the web page below. http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/07/16/2596941/bellingham-blogger-theres-much.html

Facebook Scams

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 4-19-13

Tell Your U.S. Rep. to Co-Sponsor Cicilline Resolution Opposing the Chained CPI
This week, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives expressing clear opposition to using the chained CPI method to calculate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security benefits. In light of recent budget proposals that include chained CPI, it is crucial that Rep. Cicilline’s resolution receives a high level of support. More than 2,600 members of the Alliance have already contacted their Members of Congress asking them to co-sponsor the resolution. The Cicilline resolution is H. Con. Res. 34 and has 81 co-sponsors. To see who they include so far, go to http://tinyurl.com/bmhw3wq. To see why the Alliance opposes using the chained CPI and to add your voice to the cause, if you have not already done so, click on http://tinyurl.com/bsd8hfj.

As a reminder, more than 4,800 Alliance activists have signed a letter to the White House opposing the Chained CPI. Help us reach 5,000 at http://bit.ly/10CYEd9.

Alliance Supports Sen. Rockefeller’s Bill as Way to Achieve Medicare Savings
The Alliance released a statement this week regarding legislation that lowers prescription drug prices. In a response to the federal government paying unconscionably high drug prices for dual-eligibles on Medicare, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced a bill on Tuesday to require drug companies to provide discounts for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, as they currently do under Medicaid.  The Alliance strongly supports Sen. Rockefeller’s legislation, S. 740, which would save taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries billions of dollars.

After passage of the Medicare prescription drug law in 2003, drug companies received windfalls worth billions of dollars, as a result of no longer applying rebates for dual-eligibles (beneficiaries who qualify for Medicare and Medicaid).  Senator Rockefeller’s 2013 Medicare Drug Savings Act reverts back to previous law and recaptures the savings lost under the 2003 law.  “By simply returning these beneficiaries to Medicaid-negotiated rebates, taxpayers would save $141.2 billion over the next ten years,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. The Rockefeller bill has 18 cosponsors. To see who they are, go to http://tinyurl.com/blaogvu. Read the full Rockefeller press release and see a coalition letter of support at http://tinyurl.com/cn7g2yz.

AFL-CIO Releases New Database to Track CEO Pay
This week, the AFL-CIO released Executive PayWatch 2013, a comprehensive searchable database tracking the excessive pay of corporate CEOs. The CEOs of the top 500 companies now make an average of 354 times the average wage of a U.S. worker; this income inequality has significantly worsened in the last 30 years. In 1982, top CEOs made only an average of 42 times the average wage of a US worker. To view the database and compare your own pay to that of a CEO, go to http://tinyurl.com/cauuvka.  “In order to enjoy a secure retirement, Americans must receive a fair wage during their working lives,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “When CEOs keep increasing their own pay to astronomical amounts at others’ expense, workers cannot afford to save for retirement.”

Recommended: New PBS Documentary “Age of Champions”
The Alliance invites you to watch the new PBS documentary “Age of Champions” for free from April 18th - 28th, at www.ageofchampions.org/premiere. Age of Champions tells the story of five competitors who sprint, leap, and swim for gold at the National Senior Olympics. You’ll meet a 100-year-old tennis champion, 86-year-old pole vaulter, and rough-and-tumble basketball grandmothers as they triumph over the limitations of age. The film premiered to a standing ovation at the prestigious Silverdocs Film Festival. The Washington Post hailed it as “infectiously inspiring,” and it’s already shown at more than 1,000 venues around the world.

Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to watch the film by sharing the link on Facebook. Also invite them to a live filmmaker Q+A on April 25th at 12:30, 3:30 and 6:30pm PST! Watch the trailer and learn more at www.ageofchampions.org/premiere.

Alliance Members in Missouri, Ohio, Penn., and New Mexico Focus on Health Care
Alliance chapters in several states held events centered on health care this week. The list included - but was not limited to - Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. Missouri Alliance members joined friends in holding a Medicaid expansion and lobby event at the Capitol in Jefferson City on Tuesday. Missourians lobbied for a bill that would provide FULL Medicaid Expansion, to 138% of the federal poverty level. The same day, Ohio Alliance seniors came together with other activists at the statehouse in Columbus in an effort to fund health coverage for an additional 275,000 Ohioans with their state budget.

On Thursday, Pennsylvania Alliance members joined the 120+ organizations of the “Cover the Commonwealth” Campaign in 8 cities across the state. They held events to tell Harrisburg, “Don't Leave the Money on the Table,” and to expand Medicaid. The events highlighted that the health care law offers Pennsylvania $43 billion over the next ten years to expand health care coverage to 700,000 working people, yet opponents of health care reform don't want to take the money.

Earlier – last Saturday - New Mexico seniors joined CWA members at rallies in 6 cities across the state to stop CenturyLink’s bullying bargaining tactics, and to tell the company to honor retiree benefits and health care. “Thank you to everyone, in any state, who came out for health care this week,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

More Retirees Claim Early Social Security Benefits During Recession
According to data from the Social Security Administration, increasing numbers of retirees have been claiming early Social Security benefits since the economic recession began in 2008. In 2007, 33.5 percent of men and 36.3 percent of women claimed early benefits at age 62. Only two short years later, in 2009, 35.8 percent of men and 38.9 percent of women claimed early benefits. The SSA believes that this trend is likely the result of increasing unemployment. To read the SSA report, go to http://tinyurl.com/d2quf3m. “This data is a clear illustration that raising the eligibility age for Social Security would be devastating for seniors,” said Ms. Easterling.

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/15s6SdX.

Alliance for Retired Americans Friday Alert 4-12-13

In this April 12th Edition:

Masses Protest Obama Budget Release Including Cuts to Social Security and Medicare

Social Security Uniquely Important to Women, Cuts Would Have Major Impact

As Americans Prepare for Tax Day, Big Pharma Pockets Billions in Profits from Taxpayers and Seniors

Eye Drops Could Cure Macular Degeneration, a Leading Cause of Blindness

Masses Protest Obama Budget Release Including Cuts to Social Security, MedicareThe Alliance joined the broad Strengthen Social Security coalition Tuesday at the White House to deliver 2.3 million petitions against the proposal to change the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) to the chained CPI formula, which would cut benefits for current and future beneficiaries. President Obama’s budget released Wednesday outlines over $4 trillion in deficit reduction, but headlines centered around his first-ever proposal to cut Social Security. Tuesday’s action was widely covered in the media. Tens of millions of workers, seniors and disabled veterans were represented. Their message: “We must not balance the budget on the backs of the elderly, disabled vets, the sick, the women or the children.” Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), headlining Tuesday’s event, said,  “When one out of four major profitable corporations pays nothing in federal income taxes, we know how we can deal with deficit reduction in a way that is fair.” Videos from the press conference and rally can be viewed herehttp://bit.ly/ZKr1Lh.

On Thursday, House Democratic leaders dismissed President Obama’s inclusion of Social Security cuts in his 2014 budget. Top-ranking Democrats including Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), James Clyburn (D-SC) andXavier Becerra (D-CA) questioned the validity of changing Social Security as part of a deficit reduction package. Becerra pointed out, “Social Security has never added a penny to the deficit or the national debt … Why you would take $230 billion through the chained CPI by cutting benefits for seniors, veterans and the disabled?” Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans said, “Federal budgets are about more than just numbers, they clearly reflect of our national priorities. It’s time to ask corporations to pay their fair share and stop proposing balancing the budget on the backs of seniors, retired veterans and people with disabilities.” Click here to see a new ‘federal budget update’ fact sheet comparing the President’s proposal with the House and Senate’shttp://bit.ly/YhSKfQ.  

The Alliance supports the use of the consumer price index for the elderly (CPI-E) which calculates the Social Security COLA in order to assure that the purchasing power of the benefit is maintained as beneficiaries’ age and more accurately reflects retirees’ expenses.

Social Security Uniquely Important to Women, Cuts Would Have Major ImpactTuesday marked Equal Pay Day. The date symbolizes the day in the New Year that women have to work to match the income their male counterparts made in the previous year. Women are about 2/3 of minimum wage workers in this country, and more than half of women are the sole or an essential supporter of their families. “Women are disproportionately dependent on Social Security – we work longer hours at less pay; we have less savings at the end of their working lives; we are more likely to work in jobs that don’t offer pensions or healthcare or even 401ks… so we rely on Social Security,” said Terry O’Neill, National Organization for Women President said.

Alliance members like Barbara Stone in Nevada can tell you what it means to earn less, sometimes half the wage that her male colleagues earned, and to live solely on income from Social Security. Ms. Stone raised 5 children on her own and contributed to Social Security throughout a long life of work which began at 13 years old. In light of recent proposals to cut Social Security or switch to the chained CPI COLA formula, Barbara Stone said, “We cannot let it happen.” Click here to see how the chained CPI translates to weeks of food lost to single elderly women:http://on.fb.me/110j6VH.

Leah Witherspoon, Chair of the Dallas chapter of the Texas Alliance, was profiled in a national article this week about the chained CPI. Read it here: http://reut.rs/YhGVX5.

As Americans Prepare for Tax Day, Big Pharma Pockets Billions in Profits from Taxpayers and SeniorsThe 11 largest drug companies took $711.4 billion in profits over the past 10 years, according to an analysis of corporate filings by Health Care for America Now (HCAN). The global pharmaceutical industry derived much of that profit from the significant charges to the Medicare Part D prescription drug program for seniors and people with disabilities. Thanks in part to inflated costs paid by the Part D program, the 11 drug companies booked $76.3 billion in profits in 2006 – an extraordinary 34 percent increase from the previous year, when Part D was not yet in place. Medicare — the largest purchaser in the world’s largest drug market – is prohibited by law from negotiating better drug prices.

Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world. “The drug industry’s profits are excessive as a result of overcharging American consumers and taxpayers,” said Ethan Rome, HCAN’s Executive Director. “During this period, as millions of Americans struggled to afford their medicines, Republicans in Congress have threatened to cut seniors’ benefits while refusing to consider commonsense measures to get a better deal from drug companies.” More here:http://huff.to/10X8sir.  The Congressional Budget Office indicates that allowing Medicare to negotiate the same bulk purchasing discounts on prescription drugs as Medicaid or the VA would save the federal government $137 billion (http://1.usa.gov/YqtV5X).

According to Americans for Tax Fairness, Pfizer paid no U.S. income taxes from 2010 to 2012 while earning $43 billion worldwide. It did this partly by performing accounting acrobatics to shift its U.S. profits offshore. Instead, it received $2.2 billion in federal tax refunds. The offshore profits amounted to $73 at the end of 2012, on which Pfizer paid no U.S. income taxes. “If only Pfizer were the exception and not the rule,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance for Retired Americans.

Eye Drops Could Cure Macular Degeneration, a Leading Cause of BlindnessAccording to a new study from the Washington University School of Medicine, eye drops intended to lower cholesterol could have an additional effect – curing macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in Americans over the age of 60. The study found that the eye drops successfully cure macular degeneration in mice. This research still needs to be tested in humans, but it could potentially have an impact on how macular degeneration is treated. To read CBS News’ write up of the study, go to http://tinyurl.com/czthskr.   Although research is still in the early stages, it is encouraging. Finding a successful cure for macular degeneration would improve the quality of life for millions of seniors. 

For a printable version of this document, go to http://bit.ly/10V3QKZ.

Tribute to Steve Skvara

I find it sad but necessary to write about a loss to SOAR, the USW and the cause of workers and retirees and a friend and that is the death of our brother, Steve Skvara, District 7 SOAR Board Member. Steve was a retired Steelworker from Youngstown Sheet & Tube in East Chicago, Indiana, the President of SOAR Chapter 31-5 and the District 7 SOAR Executive Board member.

I had the opportunity to work with Steve. His dedication to SOAR was second to none. Before his health began to fail, you could always count on him to be active in protests and demonstrations; whenever the cause of workers and retirees were at stake.

One of the most memorable events was in 2007 at the Presidential Candidate forum in Chicago, when Steve related to the candidates including Barack Obama, his health care dilemma and concern for his wife’s health care.  As a result, he appeared on a number of national TV broadcasts. 

Even in the 2012 election, Steve helped Elizabeth Warren win the Senate election in Massachusetts when she was attacked for protecting steelworkers’ benefits during the LTV Steel Corporation bankruptcy.

Steve’s legacy should be an inspiration for all of us to be engaged and involved to carry on the fight for workers’ and retirees’ rights and benefits. 

Bill Gibbons, PACE Representative

SOAR Director Speaks Out

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

April 10, 2013 Jim Centner (412) 562-2575

          jcentner@usw.org

President Obama’s Proposed Budget is Disappointing

Nation’s Debt Should Not Be Balanced on Backs of Seniors 

The following statement was issued today by Jim Centner, Director of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR):

(Pittsburgh) -- President Obama’s budget proposal released today is disappointing. While we acknowledge that it does not change the Medicare eligibility age, it still targets those most vulnerable in our society.

Cuts to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and to Medicare programs places the burden of our nation’s debt unfairly on the back of seniors.

The proposed chained CPI formula to determine Social Security COLA benefits will mean an immediate, and long-lasting, benefit cut for millions of Social Security beneficiaries, including seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and others. 

Social Security has not contributed a single penny to the federal deficit.  The program is funded by workers’ and employers’ contributions and should be excluded from any budget discussion.

SOAR members are troubled by the inclusion of the chained CPI in the President’s budget.  Using the chained CPI to cut Social Security COLA benefits in the name of deficit reduction wrongly burdens those that can least afford it. 

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