Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

Supreme's Health Law Ruling Celebrated Throughout Country

Yesterday's landmark decision by the Supreme Court on the Affordable Care Act was well-received by Alliance members and seniors throughout the country.

Because of the ACA, in 2011, over 3.6 million seniors on Medicare saved a total of $2.1 billion on their drug costs, an average of $604 person. And over 32 million seniors received at least one new free preventive care benefit through Medicare. 

Seniors throughout the state participated in press conferences and celebrations. Photos.

Wisconsin Alliance President Leon Burzynski commented, "Seniors have and will continue to benefit from the Affordable Care Act in many ways.  It is a positive step forward for all older Americans, our children, grandchildren and generations to come."

Maryland/DC Alliance President Frank Stella said, "Maryland is a better place to live today, thanks to today’s Supreme Court decision.  More than 750,000 older Marylanders will continue to receive improved health care because the court has upheld important advances in Medicare such as the closing of the doughnut hole in prescription drug coverage and the continuation of critical screening tests without deductibles and co-payments."

Here are some press clips and Alliance mentions

AZ
Arizona Daily Star
Republicans vow to repeal 'Obamacare': Politicians and candidates on both sides weigh in on constitutional issue, costs and fairness

CA
SJ weighs in on health care ruling‎
Stockton Record

Opinion: One Step Closer to a Single-Payer Health Care System
Patch.com

CT
Connecticut Mirror
Good news for retirees/After the ruling, a celebration‎

The Courant
Bette Marafino, executive vice president of the Connecticut Alliance of Retired Americans

The Day
'A gigantic win for the people of Connecticut'; state officials react to Supreme Court ruling

FL
WPTV Channel 5 West Palm Beach NBC 12 noon and 5pm news
Click "Local reaction to health care ruling"

Advocates call on Gov. Rick Scott to implement Affordable Care Act
WTSP 10 News Tampa Bay

Florida reluctantly starts to implement Obama's health care law: Leaders may reject Medicaid expansion
Sun Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel

Advocates call on Gov. Scott to implement Affordable Care Act
First Coast News

IA
Democrats, advocates praise health care ruling
Mason City Globe Gazette

IL
AP, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle
Reaction from Illinois to health care ruling

Galesburg Register-Mail
Tom Loewy: ‘Obamacare’ ruling good news for FQHCs

MN
Workday Minnesota, Twin Cities Daily Planet

Union leaders applaud Supreme Court decision upholding Affordable Care Act

NH
Concord Monitor

Local Reactions to Health Care Decision

PA
Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News
Second (and third) opinions

Supporters across region hail Supreme Court ruling on health care overhaul
Delco News Network

2011 State of the Union Watch Parties

Post by Asiah Gayfield, student at Butler University Indianapolis, IN

 Social Security was on the minds of Alliance Members all over the country as they tuned to President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 25, 2011. Members gathered in living rooms, community centers, and restaurants to hear what the President would say about the state of the country, the growing national deficit, and if Social Security would play a part in helping to pay down that deficit (which Social Security does not and cannot by law contribute to).

Seniors citizens were no doubt relieved, and some where even moved to cheer, when the President declared “To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations.  We must do it…without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement  income to the whims of the stock market.”

The watch parties were not only a way for members to socialize as they watched the important event, but were also incubators of great discussions. One group of energized seniors in Gig Harbor, Washington spent three hours at their State of the Union gathering both watching and discussing the President’s speech, including their ideas about Social Security and health care reform. A group of senior activists in Toledo, Ohio made up their own criteria to grade the President on before his speech and stayed after to discuss what grade the President should receive. And another group in Tucson, Arizona were so inspired by the Presidents speech they decided  they were going to follow up with their Member of Congress.   

When asked about their opinions of the State of the Union address, party participants had great things to say. A retiree from Arizona exclaimed, “It was really positive – he’s on our side!” Another retiree from Washington summed up the whole speech by saying, “Obama hit that out of the park!” Many retirees even ventured out on a limb and tried their hand at new technologies by using the popular websites Youtube and Twitter to share their feelings about the State of the Union and the Republican responses. The Arizona Alliance, for example, tweeted on their Twitter account http://twitter.com/azretiredams while the Florida Alliance hosted a member teleconference call throughout the State of the Union Address and a press conference call afterwards. FLARA then posted video responses from members and part of the press conference call on YouTube here.

The success of the State of the Union watch parties underscores the value of holding such events because they are a mobilization tool to help organize seniors to discuss current events and respond to them as they happen, in real time.

Response from Doug Hart, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans President

Slideshow (watch parties & events across the country featuring AZ, CA, CT, IA, IN, NH, OH, TX & WA)

Photos: above at right ~ top to bottom: Connecticut, New Hampsire and Indiana Alliance parties

Happy Birthday Social Security!

Social Security celebrates its 75th birthday today and Alliance activists and Americans nationwide continue celebratory parties and events.

The week of August 1st, Alliance members held several events in Arizona, Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina in advance of the birthday.

Last week, over 50 Alliance events took place in communities across the states, and festivities continue next week.

Social Security is a true American success story, one that has kept generations of seniors out of poverty, and allowed millions to retire with dignity and peace of mind. Because this landmark anniversary is tainted by the deficit commission's calls to cut Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age, Alliance activists are busier than ever staging events to celebrate and educate across the country. Check out very personal accounts from Alliance members about how Social Security has impacted their lives here.

Festivities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa recently helped spread the word that Social Security puts $7.2 billion into the Iowa economy by releases on Social Security matters coinciding with birthday celebrations. The Social Security Works for Iowa report adds, "Without Social Security, half (50.8) percent of Iowa women aged 65 or older would have incomes below the poverty line." U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) joined the celebration in Cedar Rapids and added his personal story about Social Security survivor benefits. The Congressman told attendees that without Social Security survivor benefits, he would not have made it through college. Other state reports here.

Yesterday, seniors in Omaha, Nebraska gathered to join the month-long, national commemoration of Social Security and the people it serves. ‘With more than 50 million people receiving Social Security benefits today, the program helps virtually every American family,” Donna M. McGrath, Secretary of the Nebraska Alliance said. “Beyond the candles and the cake, we have a more serious message – Social Security must be remain strong for current and future retirees.”

Members nationwide speak out on the issue. Here is Don Thacker from South Carolina:

Jo Price from Florida also shares her thoughts on Social Security:

Check out some news clips including interviews with Alliance members here:

Wisconsin

• 'Social Security celebrates 75 years' - Wisconsin Radio Network
  Billy Feitlinger is Executive Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. “We feel very strongly, if it is not the greatest program that the federal government has done, it’s clearly one of the most successful programs. And we feel very strongly right now that it’s under attack.
• Seniors celebrate the 75th anniversary of social security - WEAU Channel 13 Eau Claire
  Social security provides benefits to more than one million Wisconsinites. Besides sharing a cake, speakers discussed the importance of social security and the adjustments needed to have it for future generations.

North Carolina

• Etheridge visits Louisburg Senior Center to celebrate Social Securit's 75th anniversary - The Franklin Times
  With a 75-year-old as the guest of honor, the Louisburg Senior Center was the appropriate place for a birthday party.

Connecticut

• 75 years of Social Security celebrated (video) - The New Haven Register
  NEW HAVEN — A 75th birthday party was held Wednesday for the nation’s Social Security Act, and guests, including U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, wished for many, many more.

California

• Senior Group Plans SF Social Security Rally - KPIX CBS Channel 5 San Francisco
  ... several organizations in San Francisco are warning against suggestions by some in Washington, D.C. to cut Social Security benefits or raise the retirement age in order to fix the federal government's deficit woes.

Alliance leaders speak out:

• 'A federal plan that works' - Toledo Blade letter from Sam Burnett
  Social Security has been the lifeblood of people age 65 and older. Without monthly Social Security payments, nearly half of Americans over 65 would live in poverty.
  Help us celebrate this successful government program, which is run by fine people who care about senior citizens.

• Alliance President Barbara Easterling's column on Huffington Post commemorates Social Security's 75th birthday.

Happy birthday Social Security... and many more!

Putting in the time to make health reform a success for seniors

Watch this video/slideshow highlighting Alliance members from DC, CT, FL, IA, MD, MO, NC, NH, NM, & TX who worked hard to pass a health reform bill that would close the donut hole; cover preventive services; cover early retirees and more. Thanks to them for reaching out and fighting to get the job done.

 

Today in CT: Seniors to Seniors

This morning in Hartford, Connecticut, a “Seniors to Seniors” coalition gathered at a local restaurant to discuss health reform implications for seniors.

Over 150 Connecticut seniors heard from expert panelists representing various senior organizations – including the CT Alliance’s Mary Elia – and talked through some of their questions and concerns. 

Mary Elia said, “The type of scare tactics and misinformation aimed at seniors, designed to manipulate them into acting against their own best interests, should be criminal.  Instead of frightening people we need to help seniors understand that the legislative proposals under consideration will actually improve Medicare now and for the future.”

Happy Holidays

Pass Bennet Amendment to Keep Medicare Savings in Medicare

Here's the statement from Alliance Executive Director Ed Coyle from a press conference with Sen. Bennet (Colorado), Sen. Dodd (Connecticut) and Sen. Harkin (Iowa):

On behalf of the over 4 million members of the Alliance for Retired Americans, I want to deliver a crystal clear message to Washington: it is time to stop scaring seniors and instead help Americans of all ages better afford to see a doctor or get a prescription filled.

The Alliance for Retired Americans calls on the Senate to reject the McCain motion – which would weaken Medicare and further pad the profits of the big insurance companies – and pass the Bennet Amendment that protects seniors and strengthens Medicare for years to come.  Senator Bennet’s amendment guarantees no benefit cuts and keeps Medicare savings in Medicare.  Senator Bennet deserves our thanks for standing up for seniors in Colorado and across the nation.

The McCain motion reduces the help Medicare provides for seniors, while it increases the profits the big insurance companies make on the backs of seniors and all taxpayers.  Seniors would pay more, but get less.  Insurance companies would do less, but make more. 

America’s seniors need help a lot more than the big insurance companies do.  We must end the $3.60 per month every senior pays in higher premiums to subsidize the big insurance companies who run Medicare Advantage.  The Senate must put this money back where it belongs: the Medicare Trust Fund.

The Alliance calls upon the Senate to end dilatory stalling techniques like the McCain motion, pass the Bennet amendment, and swiftly complete its work on a bill that lowers prescription drug prices, provides free access to life-saving preventive screenings, improves long-term care, and helps early retirees before they are eligible for Medicare.

Grassroots activists with the Alliance for Retired Americans will continue to educate and mobilize seniors in support of a strong health care reform bill.  Millions of Americans need help right away.  It is time for Congress to finish the job.

Photos from event.