Poll: Most Americans Oppose Social Security, Medicare Cuts

According to a new AP-NORC poll, a majority of adults support increasing taxes on high income households to pay for Medicare, a plan proposed by President Biden last month. In addition, few are in favor of changes to Medicare or Social Security, such as raising eligibility ages.

Seventy percent of Americans oppose raising the eligibility age for Medicare benefits from 65 to 67, while 75% of Americans oppose raising the eligibility age for Social Security benefits from 67 to 70.

Democrats, including President Biden, and some Republicans in Congress have publicly promised not to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits. However, other Republicans in Congress and several possible GOP presidential candidates continue to promote the idea of raising the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare.

“Make no mistake: raising the retirement age is a benefit cut,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “Americans of all ages should be alarmed when powerful members of Congress are threatening their earned retirement benefits.”

Judge Grants Attorneys Fees in Arizona Alliance Voting Lawsuit

Gov. Katie Hobbs

There was a significant development in the Arizona Alliance’s lawsuit in Cochise County. The two members of the County Board of Supervisors who resisted certifying results in the November election as required by state law are now personally on the hook for $37,000 in legal and court fees.

Last year, Republican county supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd refused to certify the canvass of the countywide election results for several weeks, jeopardizing the state certification process and risking the votes of thousands. They cited phony allegations that the county’s electronic tabulators weren’t properly certified. Only after then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Alliance took them to court and a judge ordered them to complete their statutorily mandated duties did they finally certify the results.

“We are gratified by the court’s ruling to require the payment of fees and costs from the two members of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors who tried to ignore the law,” said Dora Vasquez, Executive Director of the Arizona Alliance. “The decision should put elected officials on notice that anyone who ignores the law, interferes in elections or tries to suppress the vote will be held accountable.”

McCarthy's 100th day as Speaker: Not Much to Show So Far

As Kevin McCarthy approaches his 100th day as House Speaker, Republicans are generally united behind McCarthy’s attempts to force President Biden to negotiate spending cuts as a condition for raising the debt ceiling.

However, The Hill reports significant internal disputes over policy priorities within the caucus and major behind-the-scenes tensions between McCarthy and some of his top lieutenants. In addition, the GOP has failed to coalesce around a long-term budget blueprint to counter Biden’s proposal heading into the talks.

“So far Speaker McCarthy and his members have not been able to find agreement on the most basic issues,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “If Republicans continue threatening to bring the nation closer to a default on the national debt, things are likely to get worse for them.”

Kaiser Health News: No-Cost Preventive Services Are Now in Jeopardy. Here’s What You Need to Know.

By Julie Appleby

When a federal judge in Texas declared unconstitutional a popular part of the Affordable Care Act that ensures no-cost preventive care for certain services, such as screening exams for conditions such as diabetes, hepatitis, and certain cancers, it left a lot of people with a lot of questions.

On the face of it, the March 30 decision could affect ACA and job-based insurance plans nationwide and a host of medical services now free for patients.

What does this mean, really, for people with insurance? Policy and legal experts say there are some unanswered questions and a whole lot of nuances.