News Articles
- Jun 25, 2010 Friday Alert
Congress Delivers President Obama a 'Doc Fix' Bill
After realizing that combining the 'Doc Fix' provision with a jobs creation package was not politically feasible, House Democrats promptly passed a six-month solution to the ongoing cuts in Medicare reimbursement rates to physicians. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 18, 2010 Friday Alert
Senior Issues take Center Stage in Nevada Senate Race
Nevada Alliance members rushed to Republican/tea party Senate candidate Sharron Angle's office last Friday to protest her position on privatizing Social Security. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 11, 2010 Friday Alert
Obama Talks to Seniors, including the Illinois Alliance President, at Tele-Town Hall
The Alliance continues its involvement in the implementation process of the health care reform that President Obama signed into law in March. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 4, 2010 Friday Alert June 4, 2010
Alliance Members Get the Chance to Ask President Obama Questions
At a special event on Tuesday, June 8, Alliance members are invited to ask the President health care questions by telephone. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 28, 2010 Friday Alert May 28, 2010
House Passes "Doc Fix" for Seniors
The U.S. House passed a watered-down version of H.R. 4213, "The American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes, and Preventing Outsourcing Act," on Friday. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 21, 2010 Friday Alert May 21, 2010
Alliance Celebrates Victory of Mark Critz in Pennsylvania
On Tuesday, Democrat Mark Critz defeated Tim Burns (R), 53% - 45%, in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District, winning a special election and a seat in Congress. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 14, 2010 Friday Alert
Incumbents Lose in WV, Utah as Voters Head to the Polls in Four More States
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) lost his bid for a 15th term Tuesday in a primary defeat. He is the first House member to lose a reelection bid in the 2010 campaign, and his defeat comes just days after Sen.... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 7, 2010 Friday Alert
New Alliance Voting Record Focuses on Health Care, Medicare, and Economics
On Tuesday, the Alliance marked Older Americans Month by releasing its latest voting record, a new report detailing the 2009 votes of every U.S. Senator and Representative on key issues affecting current... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 30, 2010 Friday Alert April 30, 2010
Alliance Members Protest Across the Country as Fiscal Commission Meets in DC
On Tuesday in Washington, DC, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform met for the first time. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 23, 2010 Friday Alert
Alliance Seeks Open Government as Fiscal Commission Holds Its First Meeting
Two important summit meetings will be held in Washington next week to discuss ways of reducing the federal deficit. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 16, 2010 Friday Alert - April 16, 2010
New Health Reform Law Extends Election Period to Change Part D Plan
The new health reform law changes and extends the annual enrollment period for Medicare Part D plans. Anyone interested in switching plans should keep in mind the new enrollment period is now October 15 -... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 9, 2010 Friday Alert April 9, 2010
Barbara Easterling, Ruben Burks Re-elected as Leaders of the Alliance
The Alliance's 2010 national convention took place in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday through Thursday of this week. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 1, 2010 Friday Alert
President Obama Signs Health Care Reform into Law One More Time
On Tuesday, President Obama put his final signature on the health reform bill that has been front and center in the news this year and last. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 26, 2010 Friday Alert
Health Care Reform: What's in it for Seniors
The Senate-passed health care reform bill dramatically cleared the House on a 219-212 vote Sunday night, and President Obama signed it into law on Tuesday. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 23, 2010 Special Edition Friday Alert
House Passes Historic Health Care Bill, Obama Signs It Into Law
House Democrats passed their landmark health care reform on a party-line 219-212 vote late Sunday night, marking an achievement that has been compared to the enactment of Social Security and Medicare. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 19, 2010 Friday Alert
Historic House Health Care Vote is Expected on Sunday
House Democrats are "pushing to the brink of passage a landmark, $940 billion health care overhaul bill that would simultaneously deliver on President Barack Obama's promise to expand coverage while slashing the deficit,"... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 12, 2010 Friday Alert
In Week of Health Care Developments, Thousands Gather to Rally Against Insurers
Tens of thousands of activists, seniors, union members, and religious leaders protested against insurance company abuses on Tuesday in front of the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., where America's... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 5, 2010 Friday Alert
$250 Payment to Social Security Recipients Voted Down By Senate
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) lost a bid on Wednesday to boost the income of millions of Social Security recipients and offset the elimination of the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2010. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 26, 2010 Friday Alert
Response to President's Health Care Plan and Summit: Three Things You Can Do
In order to bridge the differences between the U.S. House and Senate-passed health care bills - and continue to move reform forward - President Obama unveiled his Administration's own health plan on Monday. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 19, 2010 Friday Alert
President Establishes Debt Commission to Look at Social Security and Medicare
Yesterday, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order establishing a commission to tackle the federal debt. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 12, 2010 Friday Alert
Insurance Premium Increase of 39% in California Adds to Health Reform Urgency
The health care problem remains on the center stage now that Anthem Blue Cross of California has unveiled rate increases of up to 39 percent for its 800,000 individual policyholders. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 5, 2010 Friday Alert
President's Budget Includes $250 Stimulus Payment for Social Security Recipients
President Obama's Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposes a $250 payment to Social Security recipients. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 29, 2010 Friday Alert
President Obama Delivers State of the Union Address
During his State of the Union address on Wednesday, President Obama vocalized the critical need for a reduction in the federal deficit. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 22, 2010 Friday Alert
Massachusetts' Election of Scott Brown to U.S. Senate Threatens Health Reform
The election in Massachusetts of Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday ended the Senate Democrats' supermajority in the chamber, and the first casualty of his victory could be the... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 15, 2010 Friday Alert
Health Bill Moves Forward with Excise Tax Compromise
Yesterday, White House officials, leaders in Congress and labor unions reached agreement on a proposal to limit the excise tax on higher-cost health insurance plans - a sticking point that had been a major obstacle to merging... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 8, 2010 Friday Alert
Senate and House Iron Out The Differences in Their Health Reform Bills
Senate passage of its version of health reform legislation on Christmas Eve completed a historic year in Congress and in the nation's domestic policy debate. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Dec 18, 2009 Friday Alert
Health Reform Will Not Include Medicare Buy-in for Those 55-64
A week ago, a compromise Senate deal on health reform nixed a public insurance option and replaced it with provisions letting those 55 or older buy into Medicare and allowing nationwide nonprofit private plans overseen... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Dec 11, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate May Vote to Offer Medicare to Those 55 - 64
President Obama hailed a tentative health care agreement announced in the Senate on Tuesday night, saying that he would support it, and majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) sent the proposal to the Congressional Budget Office for... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Dec 4, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate Takes Center Stage in Health Care Reform Effort
The U.S. Senate moved forward on landmark health care legislation this week. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Nov 20, 2009 Friday Alert
Reid Presents Health Care Bill That Cuts $130 Billion from the Federal Deficit
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) presented an $848 billion health-care overhaul package on Wednesday that would help Americans of all ages better afford to see a doctor and get a prescription filled. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Nov 13, 2009 Friday Alert
House Passes Historic Health Care Reform Bill
On Saturday, the U.S House voted to pass H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill that will help retirees and all Americans with their access to quality health care. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Nov 6, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Formally Endorses House Health Care Bill
On Tuesday, the Alliance sent a letter supporting the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, to all members of the U.S. House. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Oct 30, 2009 Friday Alert
Speaker Pelosi Unveils House Health Care Bill
The U.S. House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), unveiled an $894 billion health care package on Thursday that would provide insurance to up to 36 million people by offering subsidies to moderate-income Americans to buy insurance. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Oct 23, 2009 Friday Alert
Bill to Keep Doctors' Pay from Being Dramatically Slashed Fails
The Senate voted 47-53 against invoking cloture on a Medicare doctors' reimbursement bill on Wednesday, falling 13 votes short of stopping a filibuster. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Oct 16, 2009 Friday Alert
As Insurance Industry Continues Its Campaign of Lies...
Obama administration officials and Congressional Democrats fired back on Monday at a misleading insurance industry report that said premiums would climb sharply with the passage of comprehensive health legislation. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Oct 9, 2009 Friday Alert
CBO Says Senate Finance Committee Health Care Bill Would Reduce Deficit
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said on Thursday that the Finance Committee will vote this Tuesday on a 10-year, $829-billion proposal that would expand health coverage to 94% of eligible Americans... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Oct 2, 2009 Friday Alert - October 2, 2009
Senate Panel Rejects "Public Option" on Health Bill
Members of the Senate Finance Committee this week defeated two efforts to add a "public option" to the health care bill drafted by committee chair Max Baucus (D-MT). Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Sep 25, 2009 September 25, 2009 - Friday Alert
Senate Finance Committee Debates Baucus' Health Care Reform Bill
As they consider chairman Max Baucus' (D-MT) health proposal this week, Senate Finance Committee Republicans and Democrats are debating costs, subsidies and the future of Medicare. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Sep 18, 2009 September 18, 2009 Friday Alert
Baucus' Health Care Reform Bill Criticized by Senior Advocates
On Wednesday, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the Finance Committee, brought out the committee's version of national health care reform - an $856 billion, 10-year measure that starts a bumpy journey through the... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Sep 11, 2009 Friday Alert
Obama Health Care Speech Clears the Air of Myths and Falsehoods
In a rare speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night, President Obama made an impassioned plea to provide health insurance for those currently without it. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Sep 4, 2009 Friday Alert
Obama to Address Joint Session of Congress on Health Care
President Obama plans to address a joint session of Congress this Wednesday night in an effort to rally support for health care legislation. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Aug 28, 2009 Friday Alert
Retirees Mourn the Loss of Senator Ted Kennedy
In a rare joint statement, Alliance President Barbara J. Easterling, Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks, and Executive Director Edward F. Coyle commented Wednesday on the death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Aug 21, 2009 Friday Alert
Florida Alliance's Delray Beach Health Care Forum Draws Worldwide Attention
Fourteen hundred activists, most of them in favor of health reform, gathered on Thursday in suburban Delray Beach, Florida for a health care forum with Democratic U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Alcee... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Aug 14, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Members Refute Lies and Myths at Town Halls
Although town hall meetings are intended for constituents of congressional members' districts, many attendees seem to have come from farther away. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Aug 7, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Calls for Civility at Town Halls When Discussing Health Insurance Reform
Members of the Alliance are calling for civil discourse during town hall meetings with Members of Congress this month, amidst stories of town halls across the country erupting into chaos during the... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jul 31, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Commemorates Medicare's 44th Birthday with Events Across the Country
Forty-four years ago yesterday, President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law. To mark the birthday, members of the Alliance held more than 30 grassroots events around the country on Thursday,... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jul 26, 2009 Happy Birthday Medicare—But, What’s Next? Medical situation in Texas TARA more...
- Jul 24, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Plans Week of Action To Commemorate Medicare's 44th Birthday
The Alliance is planning a week of action on health care beginning on Monday, July 27 to commemorate the upcoming 44th birthday of Medicare on July 30. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jul 17, 2009 Friday Alert
Retirees Praise Health Care Bills from U.S. House, Senate HELP Panel
Both the U.S. House and the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released health care reform bills this week. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jul 10, 2009 Friday Alert
U.S. House is Close to Unveiling Its Health Care Plan
The U.S. House is expected to release its health care reform plan on Monday. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jul 3, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate Panel Questions Private Insurers' Credibility, Shows Need for a Public Plan
As the public health plan option, adamantly opposed by insurers, is considered in the Senate, the Senate Commerce Committee released a report last week exposing greedy and dishonest acts by insurance... Allliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 26, 2009 Friday Alert
President Obama Says He is "Flexible" on Offering a Public Health Plan...
A New York Times poll released on Sunday showed that a remarkable 72% of Americans support a public health care plan. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 22, 2009 Friday Alert
Retirees Lobby Congress on Health Care Reform
Nearly 550 retirees attended the Alliance's annual legislative conference last week. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 12, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate HELP Committee Releases Health Care Bill Containing a Public Plan
Democrats from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) filed a 651-page health care reform bill on Tuesday. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jun 5, 2009 Friday Alert
Senators Baucus, Kennedy Offer Different Visions for Health Care Reform
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance Committee have adopted different views on health care reform. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 29, 2009 Friday Alert
Be Careful When the Insurance Industry Says It Would Like to Help!
According to the AFL-CIO blog, profits at ten of the country's largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, while consumers paid more for less coverage. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 22, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate Finance Committee Offers Options During Older Americans Month
May is Older Americans Month, and all month long Alliance members are focusing on the theme of "Retirees' Stake in Health Care Reform." Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 15, 2009 Friday Alert
Coyle Says Not to Overreact to Trustees Reports
The financial health of Social Security and Medicare has worsened because of the severe recession, according to Trustees Reports released on Tuesday. However, Alliance leaders cautioned the public not to panic. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 8, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance's 2008 Voting Record Shows Congress is Becoming More Pro-Senior
On Monday, the Alliance released a new report detailing the voting record of every U.S. Senator and Representative on key issues affecting current and future retirees. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - May 1, 2009 Friday Alert
Retirees' Stake in Health Care Reform to be the Theme for Older Americans Month
Retirees have a stake in health care reform, and May - Older Americans Month - is when seniors will be driving that point home! Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 24, 2009 Friday Alert
Medicare Advantage Plans Face Changes in 2010
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently established stricter rules for private insurance companies, effectively cutting subsidies to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by up to 5%. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 17, 2009 Friday Alert
Obama Addresses Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security in Economic Speech
In a speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, President Obama assessed economic recovery efforts, linking health care costs to broader economic problems and speaking of the need for health care reform to... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 9, 2009 Friday Alert
Insurance Companies' Medicare Advantage Subsidies Begin to Disappear
The Obama administration's plan to rein in private Medicare drug plans began on Monday, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced cuts in payments for private Medicare Advantage plans in 2010. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Apr 3, 2009 Friday Alert
Senate Votes Against Entitlement Task Force
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted against an amendment to the fiscal 2010 budget resolution which would have created an Entitlements Task Force to address the long-term funding shortfalls faced by Medicare, Medicaid and Social... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 27, 2009 Friday Alert
Sen. Specter Comes Out Against the Employee Free Choice Act
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the only Republican to side with Democrats on the Senate's last vote on union-organizing legislation, announced on Tuesday that he would not vote for this session's bill. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 20, 2009 Friday Alert
U.S. House Moves Forward on Health Care Reform
Three committee chairmen in the U.S. House have agreed to work together to pass similar health care reform legislation in their committees before the recess in August. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 13, 2009 Friday Alert
Possible Social Security Overhaul Generates Renewed Debate
Congressional Democrats "are embroiled in a battle behind the scenes over whether a politically treacherous Social Security overhaul has any place in an agenda already stuffed to the gills," according to the publication... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Mar 6, 2009 Friday Alert
Alliance Participates in White House Health Care Summit
President Barack Obama stepped up his effort to pass health-care-reform legislation this week, naming a new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and hosting a White House summit to discuss... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 27, 2009 Friday Alert
President Unveils New Budget, Slashes Medicare Advantage Overpayments
President Obama yesterday released a proposed $3.6 trillion budget designed to cut the federal deficit in half by the end of his first term, while investing heavily in renewable energy, education and... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 20, 2009 Friday Alert
Barbara Easterling Elected President of the Alliance
Barbara J. Easterling was elected President of the Alliance on Thursday, succeeding George J. Kourpias. The vote took place at a meeting of the Alliance's Executive Committee. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 13, 2009 Friday Alert
Kourpias to Step Down as Alliance Leader, Barbara Easterling to be New President
George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans since its inception in 2001, announced this week that he will be retiring. Barbara J. Easterling, the former Secretary-Treasurer of... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Feb 6, 2009 Friday Alert
Stimulus Vote in Senate May Take Place Tonight
This week, the U.S. Senate heatedly debated President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. The bill, introduced in the Senate as S. 1, contains several important provisions that directly affect retirees. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 30, 2009 Friday Alert
House Passes Stimulus Package; Senate to Debate Its Version
On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed H.R. 1, an $819 billion stimulus package, by a vote of 244-188. While the vote was mostly cast along party lines, the plan's passage is a move toward reviving the economy and marks an... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 23, 2009 Friday Alert
Obama Inauguration Brings Together All Generations
On Tuesday, an exuberant crowd braved frigid temperatures to celebrate Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th president of the United States. D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty estimated Tuesday's crowd at "roughly" 1.8 million, shattering... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 16, 2009 Friday Alert
U.S. House Stimulus Recovery Package Outline Includes Provisions for Seniors
On Thursday, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the outline for the House's $825 billion economic recovery package. The package includes an additional... Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Jan 9, 2009 Friday Alert
Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Spending on Retiree Programs
On Wednesday, President-elect Barack Obama said that overhauling spending on retiree programs would be "a central part" of his administration's efforts to contain the federal budget. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - Dec 19, 2008 Friday Alert
Auto Industry to Receive $17.4 Billion in Government Loans
On Friday, the White House announced a $17.4 billion loan package for the Detroit automakers that allows them to avoid bankruptcy and leaves many of the big decisions for the Obama administration. Alliance for Retired Americans more... - View Archives
