Friday Alert
Friday, August 28, 2009(Alliance for Retired Americans)
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.
"Senator Kennedy was one of the greatest
champions of older Americans in our nation's
history. Senior citizens are deeply
indebted to him for his lifetime of
achievements and leadership, from the beginning
of his Senate career until the end," the
Alliance leaders said. They continued, "Senator
Kennedy began his career in public service by
helping launch Medicare, a true American
success story that has reduced senior poverty
by two-thirds. We will forever remember
his courageous return to the Senate Floor in
2008, against medical advice, to keep Medicare
from being slashed. From Medicare through
debates on issues such as Social Security, fair
and affordable housing, civil and economic
rights, and most recently health care, Senator
Kennedy's voice was a guiding light, pointing
the way toward the right and decent way our
nation should treat its citizens." Sen.
Kennedy was also the first recipient of the
Alliance's Leadership Award, which recognizes
the achievements of legislators on behalf of
older Americans. Alliance members are
invited to share their memories of Sen. Kennedy
at araletters@retiredamericans.org,
and the submissions will be posted on the
Alliance web site.
New Report Shows Seniors to Benefit
from Health Insurance Reform
A new
report, "America's Seniors and Health Insurance
Reform: Protecting Coverage and Strengthening
Medicare," was issued Thursday by the
Department of Health and Human Services. The
report, available at http://healthreform.gov/reports/seniors/index.html,
shines a light on what retirees have to gain
from health reform, as well as the wholly
unacceptable medical and financial consequences
of inaction. According to the study, if
no action is taken, Medicare premiums and
out-of-pocket costs will soon eat up more than
one-third of a retiree's Social Security
benefits. A typical older couple would
need to save $300,000 for medical bills not
covered by Medicare. Said Mr. Coyle,
"Health reform is an opportunity to close the
Medicare Part D 'doughnut hole,' lower
prescription drug costs, help early retirees
afford health care coverage, and assist
middle-class families with the costs of
long-term care. A strong public plan
option will hold insurance companies
accountable and keep their premiums and
business practices in check." The report
also shows how health reform can both expand
Medicare's benefits for seniors and strengthen
Medicare's finances by eliminating wasteful
taxpayer subsidies to big insurance
companies.
Alliance Rebuts RNC's False Health
Care Claims
Mr. Coyle issued a
statement on Monday responding to Republican
National Committee Chair Michael
Steele's unveiling of a so-called
"Seniors' Health Care Bill of Rights."
"Today's insurance industry-backed public
relations move by the RNC is galling not only
for its gross distortions of public policy
issues, but also for its hypocrisy on the heels
of high-profile GOP efforts to scare and
confuse American seniors about the health care
debate," Mr. Coyle stated, noting a pattern of
deception. He continued, "These scare
tactics are false, but not enough people know
this, thanks to millions of dollars in
television advertising and disruptive behavior
at town hall meetings. Just weeks after
resigning from public service, Sarah
Palin wrote of 'death panels' when
there clearly are none in these bills.
Republican Representative Ginny-Brown
Waite, whose Florida district includes
more Medicare beneficiaries than any other,
said that Washington's message to seniors was
'Drop Dead.' Former party leader-turned
lobbyist Dick Armey made the
ridiculous claim that it is 'tyranny' that
seniors are forced to be in Medicare to receive
benefits that would dramatically improve their
health and economic well-being." In
truth, leading Democratic proposals would make
it easier for retirees to see a doctor, get a
prescription filled, and afford long-term
care.
Sen. Sanders Set to Save Cost of
Living Increase for Social Security
Recipients
Due to the economic
recession, Social Security trustees have
projected that there will be no cost of living
allowance (COLA) increase, which is tied to an
inflation index, for 2010 and 2011. For
many recipients, the lack of an adjustment will
mean that their monthly checks will actually go
down, because Medicare prescription drug
payments deducted from Social Security are
scheduled to increase next year. "Faced
with these realities, it would simply be
unacceptable for seniors on fixed incomes to
not receive additional income in the coming
year, something that hasn't happened in over
three decades," Sen. Bernie
Sanders (I-VT) said in a
statement. "As soon as Congress gets back
in session, I will be introducing emergency
legislation that will provide seniors with
financial support during this coming year." The
last time there was no Social Security COLA was
in 1975.
Alliance Activity
Ms.
Easterling traveled to Altoona, Iowa on
Thursday for the Iowa Federation of Labor
Convention. This week, Alliance members
across the U.S. took part in approximately
forty events in an effort to reform health
insurance. The events included town halls
and office visits with Senators and Members of
Congress; protests at the offices of insurance
companies; rallies to counter the presence of
"Tea Party" opponents of health reform; and
other forms of action.
Bipartisan Efforts of "Gang of Six"
Weaken
Despite growing pessimism
in compromising on a health bill, the Senate
Finance Committee's "Gang of Six", which
includes three Democrats and three Republicans,
has remained the frontrunner in
bipartisanship. However, several Members
of Congress have become increasingly
disillusioned with bipartisan efforts.
This cynicism was exacerbated following a
statement by "Gang of Six" member Mike
Enzi (R-WY) at a town hall meeting on
Monday, in which he bluntly admitted that he
had no plans to compromise with the Democrats,
and his presence in their talks was to delay
health reform. In response, "Gang of Six"
member Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
signaled his readiness to produce a bill using
budget reconciliation if it becomes clear
Republicans are not serious on
compromising. "Reconciliation would allow
Democrats to pass budget-related items with 51
votes, and would facilitate creating the public
option," explained Mr. Burks.