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Friday Alert
Friday, May 22, 2009(Alliance for Retired Americans)
Senate Finance Committee Offers
Options During Older Americans
Month
May is Older Americans Month,
and all month long Alliance members are
focusing on the theme of "Retirees' Stake in
Health Care Reform." The subject matter
includes such items as allowing Americans 55-64
years old to buy into Medicare; improving the
Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit; and
financing a public health care plan.
Coinciding with this campaign, the Senate
Finance Committee on Monday released its
outline of the policy options on the table for
financing health care reform. The
Committee's report served as the basis for a
closed-door meeting of senators on Wednesday,
when they debated how to pay for healthcare
reform legislation that could carry a price tag
of approximately $1 trillion. The
financing report includes many tax reforms and
increases designed to raise revenue, as well as
options for cutting spending on Medicare and
Medicaid.
Many senior advocates have particular concerns about two of the options. One option, the taxation of health care benefits, is in the Committee's proposal, but without specificity as to whether to tax the cost of the benefits or the income of the people receiving them. "We must ensure that tax code changes do not take away the incentive for employers to offer good health care benefits. Even limited taxation of health benefits could undermine employer coverage," said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.
The second concern is a proposal to means-test Medicare Part D prescription drug premiums in the same way as Medicare Part B premiums. "There are savings to be had in Medicare Part D reform. Performing mandatory plan audits, for example, would save money, as would allowing Medicare to use its bulk purchasing power to negotiate for lower prices," said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance "However, shifting the cost burden more to seniors with means testing is not the best answer." During the final week of Older Americans Month, which comes while Congress has its Memorial Day recess, Alliance seniors are being asked to lobby their Members of Congress in their home districts. For talking points and background information to use at these meetings, please visit www.retiredamericans.org/ht/d/sp/i/12770/pid/12770. The Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees both plan to mark up legislation next month, as do their House counterparts.
Alliance Leadership
Activity
On Wednesday, Mr. Coyle
spoke at the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
convention in Atlanta. Also on Wednesday, the
Alliance co-hosted a Capitol Hill congressional
briefing with the National Committee to
Preserve Social Security and Medicare. At
the briefing, Ms. Easterling spoke of the need
for Medicare reform to be a key part of the
health care debate. On Friday, Ms.
Easterling spoke at the Indiana Alliance's
annual convention in Indianapolis.
Study: Daytime Sleepiness in Seniors
is Not a Normal Part of Aging
A new
study suggests that seniors over 65 cope better
with sleep loss than adults under the age of
thirty. During the study, in which
participants were kept awake for 26 consecutive
hours, seniors were less impaired by sleep
deprivation and had fewer unintentional sleep
episodes. The study, published by the
American Geriatrics Society, suggests that
seniors who unintentionally fall asleep during
the day or early evening should consult their
doctor. "The sleepiness may be caused by
undiagnosed sleep disorders, chronic medical
conditions, or as a side effect of a
medication," said Ruben Burks,
Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.
Write Stuff
Winners
Congratulations and thanks
to the following Alliance members who have
recently had their letters to the editor
published: Helen Donovan, Joyce
Hermanstorfer, James Hopkins, John Ingle,
Gerald Lotierzo, Donna McGrath, Bruce Miller,
Dorothy Seigel, Dorothea Stebbins, William
Stevens, and Jean
Stillwell. If your letter has
been published, please send us a copy and let
us know at letters@retiredamericans.org.
The Alliance sends a pen containing the words
"The Write Stuff" to all those who have helped
amplify our message with a letter.
Washington State to March for
Universal Health Care on May 30
People throughout Washington State are
answering President Obama's
call to be part of the movement to enact health
care for all in 2009. In Seattle, that
response will come in the form of one of the
state's largest marches for health care ever,
drawing participants from all corners of the
state, on Saturday, May 30. The event
will include prominent community leaders, live
music, and a march through the streets of
Seattle. For more information, go to http://may30march.org.
Join Us for the Alliance Legislative
Conference June 15-18, 2009
Less
than four weeks remain until the Alliance's
2009 Legislative Conference, which will take
place June 15-18 in Washington, DC at the
Washington Hilton. Come and see your
congressional representatives and share ideas
with new Administration officials who are
friendly on retiree issues! In seminars,
sessions, and one-on-one meetings, you will be
key in ensuring that seniors get the change we
fought for in 2008. Scheduled speakers
include Rep. Jan Schakowsky
(D-IL); Larry Cohen, President
of the Communications Workers of America;
James Hoffa, General
President, International Brotherhood of
Teamsters; Gerald McEntee,
International President, American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees;
R. Thomas Buffenbarger,
President, International Association of
Machinists and Aerospace Workers; and many
others. To register, click on www.unionvoice.org/retirees/events/conf_2009/details.tcl,
call 1-888-373-6497, or e-mail Joni Jones at jjones@retiredamericans.org.
Did You Know…
In 2007,
about 30% of the 38 million, 55-and-older
households in America lived in a community
dedicated to people in their age group (The
Wall Street Journal).