Seniors

Senator applauds extension of access, continues work on permanent fix

October 19, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Senator Jon Tester today announced that a bill to preserve access to medical supplies for seniors in rural areas was signed into law by the President.

Tester championed the measure in the Senate to postpone new regulations on the sale of medical supplies by community pharmacies.

Without the extension, community pharmacies would have been required to be accredited before selling certain medical supplies. These supplies include wheelchairs, walkers, canes, diabetes testing strips and prosthetics.    » read more »

Millions on Social Security to Receive No Increase for First Time Since 1975

October 15, 2009 -- Washington, DC – AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson offered the following statement in reaction to the Social Security Administration’s announcement this morning that 41 million older Americans will not receive a Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2010. Since automatic Social Security adjustments went into effect in 1975, there has never been a year without a COLA.

“For over three decades, millions of Americans have counted on annual increases to help make ends meet. In this economy, having this protection is even more critical for the financial security of all older Americans.    » read more »

As the Senate combines legislation, waste-cutting reforms that ensure improved coverage must remain, McCaskill says

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, a bipartisan vote in the Senate Finance Committee marked the next step toward combining two versions of health insurance reform legislation in the Senate. As the two bills – the Finance Committee’s newly passed bill and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill passed this summer – are combined into one version to be sent to the Senate floor for a vote, U.S. Senator McCaskill is focused on ensuring that waste-cutting reforms remain in the combined bill in order to strengthen Medicare.

Without currently proposed reforms, Medicare will run out of money by 2017.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama announced his support for an additional $250 Economic Recovery Payment to the seniors, veterans and people with disabilities who are struggling to make ends meet with retirement savings that have not fully recovered from their losses over the first year of the recession.

"Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession. That is why I am announcing my support for an additional $250 in emergency recovery assistance to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities to help them make it through these difficult times.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- Statement by Congressman Brian Higgins:

“I applaud President Obama’s statement today announcing his support for a $250 payment to seniors to offset the 2010 Social Security COLA freeze. This news will give seniors in Western New York and across this nation peace of mind in knowing that there will be a little extra money available to cover the basics – including housing, food and medical expenses.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on the House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee to take swift action on this matter to ensure seniors receive the relief they need and deserve in the upcoming year.”

Background:    » read more »

Whitehouse-Supported Legislation Would Provide This Payment

October 14, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - President Obama today announced his support for a plan to provide seniors in Rhode Island and across the country with a one-time payment of $250 in 2010 in addition to regular Social Security payments. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is a cosponsor of the Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act (S. 1685), which would provide such a payment.

"Fixed incomes and a reliance on costly prescription drugs make it tough for seniors and disabled Rhode Islanders to make ends meet," said Whitehouse. "For these hard-hit Americans, every dollar counts, and I'm hopeful these payments will provide relief to our most vulnerable citizens."    » read more »

WASHINGTON, October 14 – Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today welcomed President Barack Obama’s support for a one-time, $250 payment next year to more than 50 million seniors to keep Social Security benefits from shrinking.

“Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession,” Obama said. “I want to compliment all the members of Congress who have been working to address these challenges, especially Senators Reid, Baucus, Sanders, and Lincoln, Speaker Pelosi, and Representatives Rangel, McCarthy, and DeFazio.”    » read more »

10/14/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, vows to continue his push to limit the amount insurance companies can charge older Americans for healthcare premiums. During the Finance Committee’s debate on healthcare legislation, Kerry offered an amendment to impose a 2:1 limit on “age rating” which mirrors provisions in legislation approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In response to the Kerry proposal, Chairman Baucus agreed to reduce the age rating band from 5:1 to 4:1. Kerry will continue to push for a lower age rating band with the ultimate goal of eliminating the discrimination of older Americans.    » read more »

Last month, Sen. Casey endorsed legislation to provide a $250 payment

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today welcomed the support of President Obama for legislation to provide a one-time payment of $250 to Social Security recipients to offset the expected lack of a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Last month, Senator Casey cosponsored the Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act that would provide such a payment to Social Security recipients.    » read more »

10/12/2009 -- To help prevent California homeowners and homebuyers from being negatively impacted by the fraudulent mortgage practices that have arisen in the aftermath of the national foreclosure crisis, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation to increase protections for consumers in the lending market and provide law enforcement with more tools to crack down on deceitful mortgage practices.

These bills aim to strengthen California’s reverse mortgage laws by providing senior homeowners with greater consumer protections when considering reverse mortgage agreements, make it a felony to commit fraud in connection with a mortgage application and promote responsibility and accountability in the real estate market.    » read more »

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- AARP Executive Vice President John Rother issued this statement following the release of today’s Urban Institute report on health insurance age-rating:

“Age-rating is just a wonky way to describe how insurance companies use age as an excuse to charge older Americans excessive premiums. Today’s report by the Urban Institute shows that denying older Americans affordable coverage is not only unfair, it could also increase the cost of health reform if it is not strictly limited.    » read more »

As Chairman, Held Hearing on Reducing Backlog; New Call Center in Tennessee to Help Improve Service

October 7, 2009 -- WASHINGTON– U.S. Rep. John Tanner, Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, praised the Social Security Administration (SSA) for the success of its ongoing efforts to reduce the unprecedented backlog in disability appeals hearings.

The number of pending disability hearings declined during fiscal year 2009 for the first time since 1999. SSA projects that with adequate funding, it will eliminate the hearings backlog by the end of fiscal year 2013.    » read more »

Commodity Supplemental Food Program currently serves 41,000 in metro Detroit

October 7, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – The House of Representatives approved the annual agriculture appropriations bill today by a vote of 263 to 162. Included in the legislation is an increase in funding, fought for by Rep. Sander Levin, for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a monthly food delivery service which provides nutritious meals to nearly half a million people across the country.

In the Detroit area, the program is administered by Focus: HOPE, a local non-profit and long-time advocate for the program, which serves 41,000 people in the area, 35,000 of whom are seniors.    » read more »

Carnahan Announces Support for Legislation To Fix Seniors’ Cost of Living Adjustment Formula To More Accurately Reflect Increased Costs

October 06, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, DC) – Congressman Russ Carnahan (MO-3) today announced his support for legislation to help seniors keep up with the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs by addressing a flawed formula that is preventing needed cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries.

The Consumer Price Index for Elderly Americans Act of 2009 would establish a new and separate consumer price index for seniors that would more accurately reflect the increased costs seniors face each year.    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Genzyme Corporation (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced today that the FDA provided a complete response letter regarding the company's supplemental New Drug Application for Clolar® (clofarabine) in previously untreated older adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and at least one unfavorable baseline prognostic factor. The agency recommended a randomized, controlled clinical study be conducted for label expansion of Clolar in this indication.    » read more »