Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

Alliance Lobby Week Comes Just Days Before Sequester Cuts are Set to Kick In

Alliance members scheduled over 70 district meetings with their elected officials for this week’s President’s Day Lobby Week. The appointments came as the Senate is set to vote next week - right after the Congressional recess ends - on a plan to stop the March 1 sequester (automatic budget cuts) without harming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

On February 14, Senate Democrats released their plan to avert the sequester for the rest of the year — it contains $110 billion in deficit reduction, evenly divided between spending cuts and new revenues. During Lobby Week, Alliance members have been asking senators to vote for this package and asking House members to vote for it should it come to the House.

View Presidents Day Week Lobby Visits and Events in a larger map

Included in the Lobby Week events: a rally and petition drop outside House Speaker John Boehner's (R) office in West Chester, Ohio on Wednesday.  Among those at risk if the cuts come to fruition: homebound and disabled seniors behind closed doors – “the hidden hungry” across the U.S.A., according to Larry Tomayko, interim chief executive officer of the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). If congressional domestic-spending cuts take effect on March 1, MOWAA faces an estimated 5.1% reduction in Older Americans Act funding. According to Americans for Tax Fairness, a recent Hart Research poll found that found that two-thirds of voters nationwide want the richest 2% (by 66% of voters) and large corporations (by 64% of voters) to pay more in taxes. The poll also found that 59% of voters say that we still need to do more to make sure the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes: .

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!

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

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.

 

Senate Moves Forward on Health Insurance Reform

Saturday the US Senate voted to move forward on debating health insurance reform and seniors nationwide are optimistic about the possibility of a strong health insurance reform making it through the legislative process by end of year or early 2010.

The last several months have been filled with grassroots actions mobilized by savvy seniors in every part of the country.

Last week, Texas labor leader E. Dale Wortham wrote the following which reflects the dire circumstances and hope for the nation as a reform bill progresses:

Finally, health care reform that works. The health reform bill that just passed the House of Representatives is good for Houston and good for America.

America's got health problems, and Texas has more problems than just about anywhere.

Fact: 28 percent of Texans do not have health coverage. That's the highest rate in the country. We're talking about more than 6 million of our neighbors, a big bunch of them here in Houston

Fact: The number of uninsured Texans is climbing. It went up 10 percent last year and is still climbing.

As the holidays approach, Alliance retirees reach out to their elected officials to thank them for supporting health insurance reform so that their families can see a doctor and get their prescriptions filled.

Alliance's National Convention

The Alliance's National 2010 Convention will kick-off our efforts to build the grassroots organizing power of retirees for the 2010 elections. Voters across the country will decide who will represent them in Congress and state capitols, and the retiree voice must amount to a mighty roar on Election Day.

Please join us for workshops and training sessions to strengthen our organizing and advocacy skills. We will hear from leading experts in public policy, health care, aging, and the media.

For more information, please use the following links:

2010 Convention Call - to learn additional details

2010 Registration Form - to send us a hard copy of your registration form

2010 National Conference Online Registration - to register now!

Today: Senior Issues Discussion with NC Rep. Foxx

Today in West Pilot Mountain, NC, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will attend a senior round table discussion at the Edward M. Armfield Senior Center.

The discussion is about Social Security, Medicare and Medicare Part D and will be moderated by moderated by Jack Marion of the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans.

Seniors from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Mount Airy & Pilot Mountain join senior center
and Alliance members at this round table spanning from 10:00 - 10:45. Panelists include reputable senior center directors and others.

For details on this event or on the NC Alliance, please contact: Jack Marion (336-473-0939) or Shirley Key (336-368-2012)

1984

Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said yesterday on the House floor that a health reform bill is a greater threat to our country than any terrorist organization.

 

Sounds like fiction to us.

 

North Carolina Responds to Obama Speech...

"As a retiree who watched President Obama's health care speech I hope that any health care reform bill Congress passes this year improves Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. There are several things we should do: 1) Allow Medicare to negotiate volume discounts with drug manufacturers. The Veterans Administration can do this and its medicines cost 58 percent less. 2) Close the donut hole. I think it is wrong that many seniors must pay full price for their prescriptions while still paying their full monthly premiums. 3) End the taxpayer subsidies to private insurance companies that operate Medicare Advantage programs. I've read that we pay these companies 20 percent more than it would cost Medicare to serve them directly. Sounds like corporate welfare to me."

-John Newman, Lewisville, NC - President of the NC Alliance for Retired Americans