Friday Alert
Friday, January 15, 2010(Alliance for Retired Americans)
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 the House
and Senate health care reform bills.
Health plans derived from collective bargaining
(union employees' plans) would be exempt from
the tax until 2018, instead of beginning in
2013, as had been the design. The
agreement is said to raise the threshold at
which other working family plans are taxed from
$23,000 to $24,000 in 2013, with annual
increases to reflect the Consumer Price
Index. For individuals, the threshold
will rise from $8,500 to $8,900. Specific
provisions were made to raise the threshold for
plans with retirees age 55 and up, as well as
plans that have a significant number of older
workers. Also, beginning in 2015, the
cost of dental and vision care would be barred
from the calculations. Alliance President
Barbara Easterling said
yesterday, “Many workers gave up wages in order
to have their health benefits, so it is only
fair that those benefits not be taxed
now.”
Conrad-Gregg Amendment Vote on
January 20 Brings Social Security to
Forefront
On December 23, when the
Senate passed a bill regarding the debt ceiling
extension, seniors were saddled with the first
vote pertaining to possible Social Security
cuts in 2010. The bill provides for a
vote on January 20, 2010 of the Conrad-Gregg
amendment to create a Task Force to "examine
the long-term fiscal imbalances facing our
nation." On Wednesday, the Alliance sent
a letter to all Senators opposing the
Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal
Action Act of 2009, S. 2853. By opposing
the bill, the Alliance voiced its fervent
opposition to the Conrad-Gregg proposal for a
fast track task force on entitlements that
would make it easier to cut Social Security,
Medicare, and Medicaid. The Senate will
need 60 votes if it is to pass, and currently,
the Conrad-Gregg forces do not have them.
The Alliance's letter states that forcing
changes to these critical benefit programs, by
eliminating open debate or amendments, is an
undemocratic way to address the future of such
programs. Next Tuesday, January 19, is a
national call-in day to say NO to the
Fast-Track Commission. The number for the
call-in day has been provided by the National
Committee to Preserve Social Security and
Medicare, and is 1-800-998-0180. "Tell
your Senators that this type of fast-track
commission is undemocratic and takes power away
from Congress to make decisions about Social
Security. Social Security does not
contribute to the national debt; it is
insurance that workers have earned," said
Ruben Burks,
Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.
This past Tuesday, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, released a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on options for strengthening Social Security benefits for those populations who need them most. The GAO report can be found at http://www.aging.senate.gov/letters/gaossreform.pdf.
Alliance Members Encouraged to
Assist Haiti following
Earthquake
The support and prayers
of Alliance leaders and members are with those
who are suffering across Haiti, following a
tragic earthquake there on Tuesday. The
Alliance is encouraging that donations be made
to the Solidarity Center Emergency Relief Fund
to ensure that assistance reaches workers and
their families. Information on
contributing to the Solidarity Center Emergency
Relief Fund can be accessed at www.solidaritycenter.org.
Donations may also be made to the American Red
Cross International Response Fund at www.redcross.org, or
toll-free at 1-800-REDCROSS.
Changes Could Make More Seniors
Eligible for Prescription Drug Help in
2010
Beginning the first of this
year, changes in Medicare began making it
easier for some beneficiaries to qualify for
additional help with their prescription drug
plan costs. Under the Medicare
Improvements for Patients and Providers Act,
seniors will no longer have to count help that
they receive from someone else toward their
expenses - including rent, mortgage, heat,
food and property taxes - as income.
Also, life insurance policies will no longer
count as a resource when determining
eligibility. For more information on
eligibility, visit http://bit.ly/3DdoA or watch
the webinar at http://bit.ly/6arF1c.
You can apply for the program online at www.socialsecurity.gov, by
calling 1-800-772-1213, or by applying at your
local Social Security
office.
Hawaii
Convention
The 3rd Biennial Hawaii
Alliance for Retired Americans (HARA)
Convention was held on January 9 in
Honolulu. "I would like to thank Alliance
Regional Board member Luis
Duran for doing a great job
representing the national Alliance," said
Edward F. Coyle, Executive
Director of the Alliance. HARA officers
for 2009-2011 are: Al Hamai,
President; Justin Wong,Vice
President and Convention Chair; Phyllis
Hiramatsu, Treasurer, and
Jackie Foil, Secretary.
Prepare for 2010 Senior Vote at
National Alliance Convention
As
2010 political campaigns heat up, retirees need
to begin learning more about elections that
will see the entire U.S. House, one-third of
the U.S. Senate, and 36 gubernatorial races on
the November ballot. Experts are
predicting a low-turnout, with older voters
making up over one-third of the
electorate. A great place to start is
this year's Alliance National Convention, April
5-8 in Las Vegas, which will feature noted
speakers and training workshops on mobilizing
retirees for electoral success.
The Alliance has created a Community-Based Scholarship Program as part of an organization-wide effort to increase access to national conferences and conventions for our community-based members. Scholarships include: Waived conference and convention registration fees; up to $1,000 to pay for travel to and from the convention; lodging while attending the conference; and $45 daily per diem. Scholarship recipients must be an individual member in good standing of the national Alliance; a community-based member (not a member of a union that has affiliated nationally with the Alliance); and live more than 100 miles away from the conference/convention site. In total, 10 scholarships will be awarded. For more information on the scholarships and the convention overall, please go to http://bit.ly/1jIzz2.