Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

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

Retirees Pleased with Tele-Town Hall and Health Law Clarification

This week's teletown hall event with President Obama, organized to clarify the new health reform law for seniors, was well-received by many seniors and Alliance members nation-wide.
 
The Alliance's Judy Cato attended the event in Wheaton, Maryland; and the Alliance hosted over 25 watch-and-call-in parties in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvani and South Carolina.

Photos. [Top left: Obama at tele-town hall in Wheaton MD courtesy National Council on Aging (NCOA) Bottom left: DesMoines, Iowa event.]

Barbara Franklin, President of the Illinois Alliance, was the first phone call accepted. She asked President Obama about whether or not changes in Medicare Advantage overpayments would result in a reduction in care for seniors.  Obama replied that this was one of the more common myths about health reform (in addition to death panel concepts), and explained what the new health law does to sustain Medicare.

Video.

Elmer Blankenship said in response to Obama's tele-town hall,

As a retired Auto Worker and a member of The Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans, I was one of the seniors here in Indianapolis that watched President Obama’s June 8 town hall forum on CSPAN to learn more about how the new health reform law will benefit seniors and retirees.

The new law will help retirees better afford to see a doctor and fill their prescriptions.  Seniors who fall into the “doughnut hole” coverage gap in Medicare Part D will, starting this week, receive a $250 rebate check from the government. That may not sound like much, but for many Seniors, it can be the difference to getting needed medicine.

Seniors are starting to benefit with free annual check-ups in Medicare, ending co-payment for preventative screenings, allowing children up to age 26 to be covered on their parents policy and in many other ways. I thank President Obama for his efforts to end the myths and scare tactics around health reform and giving America’s seniors the facts.

Ken Sagar and Midge Slater reported from Iowa that the consensus from seniors gathered at the tele-town hall sites was that "President Obama should do more town hall meetings to inform Americans of the content of the new health care program and to dispel the falsehoods being spread by tea party and other malcontents.  Many people indicated that they learned quite a bit from the discussion."

You're Invited to Ask the President Health Care Questions on Tuesday!

At a special event on Tuesday, June 8, Alliance members are invited to ask the President health care questions by telephone!

A few members of the Alliance will be attending the event - which will include information on benefits for seniors under the new health care law - live, in Wheaton, Maryland. Other members are invited to ask the President questions by phone.

This one-time, national "tele-town hall" can also be seen and heard on television by watching C-SPAN, or on-line via web streaming at www.healthreform.gov.

If you live in one of the following communities and would like to join a local watch party, please contact us at:

ARAORGANIZING@retiredamericans.org

Iowa - Dubuque, Des Moines, Waterloo
Missouri - St. Louis
New Hampshire - Nashua, Manchester
New Mexico - Albuquerque
North Carolina - Raleigh
Ohio - Ashtabula
South Carolina - Columbia

In addition, several of our allied unions are sponsoring events. Currently, we are aware of an
AFT-sponsored event in Latham, NY and an event in Las Vegas sponsored by IUPAT. A number of other unions will be sponsoring events, and a more complete list will be available later today.

The live event is scheduled to begin at 11:15 AM on Tuesday and will last one hour.

The President will also be joined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Topics to be covered will include the $250 checks for seniors caught in the Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" coverage gap, and efforts to combat scams associated with those checks.

The Hill: Obama holding healthcare town hall next week

New York Times, The Caucus blog: Obama Will Tout Medicare Rebates

States Keep Close Eye on Commission Meetings

Field Update by Terry Lochhead-

New Hampshire Alliance members braved Wednesday's heat wave to warn commuters outside Sen. Judd Gregg's Concord NH office that he wants to raid Social Security to pay down the national debt. Gregg met in Washington, D.C. with the new Fiscal Commission charged with identifying a means of reducing the nation's deficit.

New Hampshire residents gathered with signs that read: "It's the defense budget Judd, not Social Security" and "Sen. Gregg: Social Security and Medicare are not the problem."

More photos here.

Social Security facts and commission background here.

Seniors Wary of Budget Hawks, Encourage Open Meetings

Today the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform met for the first time.

After today's opening session, it plans to hold most of its meetings outside of the public eye, behind closed doors in the U.S. Capitol.  This means it will be difficult for seniors to follow the Commission and its work.

The Alliance wrote a letter to the Commission, calling for both open meetings and for field hearings to allow testimony from those who would be affected by its recommendations.  Activists and seniors in many states also contacted their elected officials, saying that the Commission's deliberations - and the future of Social Security - are too important to be kept secret. 

Executive Director Ed Coyle said, "Social Security is one of our nation's greatest success stories, and there is no reason to hide it away.  We must bring this new Commission's meetings out into the sunshine, so everyone can see firsthand just how important Social Security is to Americans of all ages."

(Pictured: The New Hampshire Alliance educated the public about what's at stake in Commission meetings, encourage maintaining crucial Social Security and Medicare programs as Sen. Judd Gregg begins discussions on reducing the national deficit.)

New Hampshire State Senate Votes to Help Citizens Pay for Hearing Aids

The New Hampshire Alliance celebrated yesterday when the NH Senate voted to require insurance companies to provide $1,500 coverage over five years for hearing aids, fitting, and adjustment services.  Sen. Maggie Hassan of Exeter led the NH Senate to pass the hearing aid bill, HB 561. New Hampshire Alliance members worked hard placing calls, writing letters, and now celebrate this big win for retirees, individuals with hearing loss, and their families. 

“A good hearing aid can cost as much as $6,000,” said Charlie Balban, NH Alliance President. “Retirees use them more than anyone else, but most retirees live on fixed incomes so it's hard for them to afford an effective hearing aid. This bill will help retirees and also help people still in the workforce.” 

The bill was endorsed by the Commission on Deafness and Hearing Loss, AFL-CIO, Granite State Independent Living, and the NH Alliance, and will next go to the Governor’s desk.

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.

 

Seniors need hearing aids

The New Hampshire Alliance celebrated yesterday when the 400-member NH House of Representatives voted to require insurance companies to cover part of the cost of hearing aids for seniors.  HB 561 requires state-registered insurance companies to cover $1500 of hearing aid expenses over three years.  The most effective devices cost up to $5,000 each. 

Alliance members in New Hampshire worked to pass the bill for months and are glad it paid off.  Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover hearing aids, which means many older people on fixed incomes either depend on ineffective hearing aids or go without.

The provision now moves on to the NH Senate.  Eleven states require insurance companies to cover the cost of hearing aids, but only Rhode Island requires adult coverage. 

NH Alliance President Charlie Balban said, “Retirees and seniors have a lot on their plates right now worrying about affording food, housing meds on a limited income. Many people lost thirty, forty, or even fifty percent on their 401ks if they even had them. With all of the changes happening today with health care and the economy, a person needs to be able to utilize all of their senses to understand and survive. The ability to hear is a large attribute. If we can help people afford to hear, we not only help them make the right decisions, but really help all of us."

Happy Holidays

Retirees with the Write Stuff

“Retirees with the Write Stuff” is an Alliance project recognizing retirees whose letters to the editor are published.  Most recently, Graham Dewsbury, Mary Elia, Gary Gaines, Norman Kaiser, John Mendolusky, Catherine Porter, Martin Walsh, and Norm Wernet contributed to their state and local papers. 

If you have had a letter published recently, please send us an email at letters@retiredamericans.org so that we can recognize you and send you a “Write Stuff” pen.  Also, New Hampshire Alliance President Charles Balban described the benefits of health reform to retirees in a notable Nashua Telegraph op-ed.