The Concord Monitor reports on feisty NH retirees confronting presidential candidates and House Reps during the primary season here in New Hampshire.  Follow this link to the full article.

As the U.S. Congress discusses cutting Social Security, you're invited to join us for "Social Security: The Myths And The Facts" on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 5 pm.

Refreshments

Open to all - No charge

Over 150 Alliance members from northeastern states gathered this week in Philadelphia for workshops and presentations to help educate and mobilize retirees for the 2012 elections.  Retiree activists participated in training sessions to learn the latest developments on Medicare and health care reform from experts Kathleen Otte, Jaime Torres and Joanne Grossi of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; information on how Social Security will affect this year’s elections; and strategies for grassroots organizing and fund-raising.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) spoke at the convention luncheon on Tuesday. Other speakers included Pennsylvania Alliance President Jean Friday; Secretary-Treasurer of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Liz McElroy; national Alliance President Barbara J. Easterling; Government and Political Affairs Director Rich Fiesta, who outlined 2012 electoral issues and the importance of the senior vote; and Trishala Deb from Caring Across Generations. Paul Lemmon of Labor 2012 stressed the importance of the union retiree vote in Pennsylvania, the week’s gathering spot, his home state, and also a swing state. Cindy Smalls of the AFL-CIO discussed new state voting laws that could lower the overall turnout. Several other dynamic presenters also lent their expertise.

Alliance members elected four activists to the Regional Board – James Parent, Nancy True, Jody Weinreich, and William Finelli. For a slideshow of event photos, go to http://bit.ly/J6yd7p.

Part of the Paul Ryan Plan Gets a Bad Review from its own Creator

The co-creator of the concept that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is relying upon to “reform” Medicare no longer thinks it will work. Henry Aaron, now of the Brookings Institution, and former Urban Institute president Robert Reischauer came up with the idea of “premium support” in 1995. Aaron got the chance to tell Ryan about his change of heart at a recent Capitol Hill hearing.

The basic idea of the Aaron-Reischauer plan is to let people pick their health insurers in the private market, subsidize the premiums, and let competition drive down costs. That’s also the theory behind Ryan's plan. It differs from Aaron's original vision -- in part because it has fewer protections for beneficiaries -- but the essential concept is the same. Aaron said this isn’t the time to test it out.

“In the years since Bob Reischauer and I put this idea forward, I've changed my mind,” Aaron told the House Ways and Means Committee. The big reason is that Aaron has seen no evidence since the two men came up with the idea that their assumptions have been borne out.

As reported and explained more fully in The Huffington Post at http://huff.to/KeR30B, a key assumption was that risk would be better adjusted among companies, so that if one insurer suddenly were saddled with an unusually expensive population, it would share the costs with other insurers or the government. That would keep costs down, because it would remove some of the incentive to cherry-pick healthier customers or shun sicker ones.

“At least when the plan was originally created, Congress regulated private industries and insurers more,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. “The Ryan plan would take the concept and remove the regulation part.”

Visit http://1.usa.gov/J0nJ9Y to view Aaron's full testimony. The Alliance thanks Karen Spivey, who posted a link for this story on our Facebook page and originally brought the story to us.

House Voter Rights Bill Aims to Stop Voter Suppression

On Thursday, Rep. John Lewis (GA), House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD), Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (SC), Rep. John Conyers (MI), and Rep. Robert Brady (PA) unveiled “The Voter Empowerment Act,” comprehensive voting rights legislation. The bill will modernize voter registration, ensure equal access to the ballot box for all Americans, and prohibit deceptive practices and voter fraud that keep people from exercising their constitutional right to vote. The legislation is aimed at combating efforts in several states to pass unprecedented laws that would prevent disabled, minority, elderly, low-income, and other Americans from casting their ballots.

“Given voter identification requirement efforts in Pennsylvania as well as many other states, this legislation is crucial,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.

Medicare Legislation Would Raise Eligibility Age to 70, Threaten Federal Workers

Republicans in the Senate announced reform legislation several weeks ago that would wind down Medicare and open the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to all Medicare-eligible seniors. The Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act (S. 2196), introduced on March 15 by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Mike Lee (Utah) and Jim DeMint (S.C.), would allow all Medicare-eligible patients to enroll in FEHBP plans beginning in 2014. The existing Medicare program eventually would sunset.

According to Federal Daily (http://bit.ly/FSigQg), the legislation also gradually would increase the initial eligibility age for seniors over a period of 20 years from age 65 to 70, at a rate of three months per year. The sponsors claim the plan would save $1 trillion over the first 10 years.

“Don’t be fooled. This proposal would end Medicare as we know it and threaten health benefits for federal employees,” Ms. Easterling said. “Given the current environment of severe budget cuts, we should all be very afraid of plans like this.”

Online Social Security Statements Provide Earnings and Benefit Information

A new online Social Security Statement is now available at www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement. The web site provides eligible workers with secure and convenient access to their Social Security earnings and benefit information. In addition, the portal includes links to information about other online services, such as applications for retirement, disability and Medicare. In February 2012, the Social Security Administration also resumed mailing paper statements to workers age 60 and older if they are not already receiving Social Security benefits.

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Retirees may pay about $20,000 more for medical care if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 2010 health care overhaul, according to a report from Fidelity Investments. Passage of the health law saved money for seniors, who among other benefits gained additional coverage for prescription drugs and free preventive care. The cost of losing those benefits, should the court overturn the law, would be about $20,000 before their deaths, according to Sunit Patel, senior vice president for Fidelity Benefits Consulting and the leader of the project.

The Supreme Court is weighing whether the law’s requirement that most Americans have health insurance is constitutional, and if not, how much of the law to overturn. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the likely Republican nominee for president in November’s election, has said he would repeal the entire law “as quickly as possible” should he take office. According to Bloomberg News, the court may preserve the drug benefit for seniors, which closes the gap in Medicare’s coverage for prescription medicines known as the “doughnut hole.” About 78 percent of people polled by the Kaiser Family Foundation in April said they held a favorable view of that provision. “We have a dollar figure in hand on how much more seniors are likely to pay if health care reform is struck down or repealed,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance. “It is just plain wrong to say that repeal would benefit seniors.” (More at http://buswk.co/JTMja2)

Voters Go to the Polls in Four States, Including Wisconsin and Indiana

Voters went to the polls on Tuesday in Wisconsin, Indiana, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Among the results: Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee won the Democratic primary for the right to take on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) in a recall election to be held on June 5. In addition, Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana lost a challenge from the right flank of his own Republican Party, his nearly four-decade career in the Senate ended by a tea party-backed GOP foe, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Mourdock will face Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly in the general election. Democrats promise a competitive race as they seek to deny Republicans the four seats they need to take control of the Senate.

“Sen. Lugar had a reputation for bipartisan deal-making, but not on seniors’ issues,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “His lifetime voting record with the Alliance was 10% - meaning that 15 of the current Republican Senators voted in seniors’ best interests more often than he did.”

House Republican Budget Reconciliation Vote a Threat to Seniors’ Well-Being

On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, by a vote of 218-199. No Democrats voted for the bill, and 16 Republicans voted against it. For a tally of the vote, go to http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll247.xml. Most seriously, the vote eliminated the $1.7 billion Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and cut Medicare and Medicaid for seniors.

“Preserving the SSBG would provide Meals on Wheels to seniors unable to prepare their own food; adult day care services, which enable seniors to remain in their own homes; and funding for programs such as adult foster care and adult protective services, which address the abuse and exploitation of older adults,” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. To read his complete statement, go to http://bit.ly/JFA3yp.

“Cheat Sheet” Available: What to Say at Town Halls!

Do you want to be active in protecting Social Security and Medicare, but aren’t always sure what to say? The Alliance has created a concise 2-page document with suggestions on what questions to ask. For instance, see if your elected officials support turning Medicare into a voucher program! View the document by going to http://bit.ly/JFvHaD.

107 Charged in Medicare Fraud Busts in 7 Cities

ABC News reported that federal authorities charged 107 doctors, nurses and social workers in seven cities with Medicare fraud last week, in a nationwide crackdown on unrelated scams that allegedly bilked the program of $452 million — the highest dollar amount in a single Medicare bust in U.S. history. Hundreds of federal agents fanned out nationally, raiding businesses, seizing documents and charging 107 suspects in Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Tampa, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La. The government suspended payment to 52 providers as part of the investigations.

“It was the latest in a string of major arrests in the past two years as authorities have targeted fraud that’s believed to cost the government between $60 billion and $90 billion each year,” according to ABC. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder partnered in 2009 to increase enforcement by allocating more money and staff and going after  “fraud hot spots.” Community mental health centers are the latest trend in Medicare fraud, which has developed more complex schemes over the years, moving from medical equipment and HIV infusion fraud to ambulance scams, as criminals try to stay one step ahead of authorities. To read more, go to http://abcn.ws/IQNYmn.

Maine Alliance Holds its Founding Convention

The Maine Alliance for Retired Americans held its founding convention on Thursday. Elected as leaders were: Don Berry – President; Bruce Hodsdon – Vice President; Ed Keefe, Treasurer; and Archie Janvrin, Secretary.  Sandra Crehore, Paul Gilbert, Richard Gordon, Diane Grandmaison, and Charlie Urquhart were elected to the board.

Richard Fiesta, Director of the Department of Government and Political Affairs for the Alliance, spoke at the Maine convention and also at the New Hampshire Alliance’s Educational Forum in Manchester on Wednesday. Educational forums were held this week in Wake Forest, North Carolina and Oak Creek, Appleton, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, as well.

Florida Alliance Helps Dedicate Senior Housing in Miami

Florida Alliance President Tony Fransetta attended the re-dedication of the Mildred and Claude Pepper Towers on Tuesday in Miami. An Elderly Housing Development and Operations Corporation board member, Mr. Fransetta gave an inspiring speech and participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony. To see video footage, go to http://bit.ly/IYrM9D.

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