To view this mail in a browser, copy [link removed] into your browser.
[link removed]
Insider's Report: Affordable Care Act takes another hit The future health care of millions of Americans remains in limbo ...In December, a federal appeals court agreed with a lower court's decision that
the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) requirement for most people to have health
insurance is unconstitutional. The case now goes back to a Texas federal judge
(who previously struck down the entire law) to determine how much of the health
care law can survive.
If the district court's ruling stands, it could throw the ACA into chaos— and affect millions of Americans whose health care and coverage have been
impacted by the law. Here's what that means for Medicare beneficiaries and those
relying on Medicaid:
• Prescription drug costs for older Americans will skyrocket.
• Medicare recipients will be forced to pay increased costs for preventive services like wellness visits, diabetes screenings, mammograms, flu shots and even cancer screenings.
• The Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund's shortfall will be accelerated thanks to the loss of provider payment reforms in the ACA.
• Americans who gained access to Medicaid, because the ACA
expanded this program's eligibility, would lose coverage.
On top of all that, millions of older Americans could see their health care premiums and deductibles spiral upwards, reversing a positive trend under the ACA of containing Medicare costs. And millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions could lose their health
care coverage altogether!
The Trump Administration has repeatedly tried to overturn the ACA
and sabotage this popular law — and this latest ruling could give these efforts
a tremendous boost in 2020. And so, our fight to protect this historic law just
got a lot more difficult. Ultimately, this case is expected to be decided by the
U.S. Supreme Court, which has upheld the health care law twice in the past. [link removed] Please consider becoming a member now [link removed] to help us keep the pressure on Congress. Your continued support is essential to
the National Committee's mission of protecting your earned benefits. Your Calls Made a Huge Difference!
We're grateful to our members and supporters who called the National Committee's
legislative hotline to voice their positions on key bills to their members of
Congress. Helped by your strong show of support, the "Lower Drug Costs Now Act" (H.R. 3), [link removed] which will significantly reduce seniors' drug expenses, was passed in the House.
And the "Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act" (S. 2765) [link removed] that would have dramatically changed the budget process and placed Medicare,
Medicaid and several other crucial programs at risk was never brought up for a
vote. These victories prove that when we stay engaged and make our positions known, we
can affect policy decisions in Congress.
In order to win these fights and keep the pressure on our elected officials, the
National Committee relies on grassroots activists like you to pick up their
phones and remind their lawmakers who they really work for in Washington — concerned people like you, not the wealthy special interests.
Rest assured, these fights are far from over and will continue in 2020 as
soaring budget deficits put massive pressure on earned benefits. We'll contact
you when the next bill that could impact your retirement and health security
comes up for a vote in Washington. 2020 Spending Deal Underfunds the SSA
At the 11thhour, Congress reached a 2020 spending deal which averted a government shutdown.
Yet, while the agreement increases spending on some programs that benefit older
Americans, the Social Security Administration (SSA) received only a small bump in its operating budget. [link removed]
The $99 million increase (less than 1%) over 2019 funding levels does not even
keep pace with inflation, and perpetuates the decade-long divestment in crucial
customer service functions for Social Security's 69 million beneficiaries. The
agency has been chronically underfunded at a time when 10,000 Americans turn 65
every day.
Since 2011, the SSA has closed more than 60 (!) field offices, which causes
undue hardship for the elderly, people with disabilities and workers who must
rely on public transportation to get to alternate field offices. SSA office
closures, along with budget cuts, hurt Social Security beneficiaries, who are
forced to endure longer wait times, shorter office hours and long delays for a
Social Security disability hearing.
In addition, the SSA is still not sending Social Security statements to all who
are eligible to receive them, as required by law, because it claims it doesn't
have the money to do so. What's worse, these hardships, along with field office
closings, can undermine public support for Social Security itself — which is
ultimately the goal of those in Washington who want to destroy this popular and
effective program.
That's why the National Committee is counting on your support as we fight to
preserve Americans' access to vital SSA services, improve customer service and
thereby protect the Social Security program itself from being weakened in an
insidious way. Take Our Poll!
During this critically important election year, it's time that older Americans
took stock of whether their members of Congress have kept their promise to
protect Social Security and Medicare, and addressed the problem of high
prescription drug costs.
Please tell us:
Would you withdraw your support for your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators
if they cut your Social Security or Medicare benefits, even if you agree with
them on most other issues?
Do you think your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators have kept their promise
in regards to earned benefits and lowering prescription drug costs?
Take our poll now! [link removed] Ask Us
Did you know that a team of experts in the field of Social Security policy is
available to answer your questions about benefits? For 37 years, the National
Committee has been helping thousands of our members and supporters with a broad
range of concerns on Social Security.
Whether you're currently retired or approaching retirement, the National
Committee's "Ask Us"section can help answer your questions about Social Security. You can either
search our archives for valuable advice on a broad range of concerns at www.ncpssm.org/ask-us-recent/ [link removed] or email your question to
[email protected] mailto:
[email protected]?subject=.
This week's question is: Do the earnings of your final ten years of employment have any special bearing
on your Social Security benefits once you retire?
Click here to read the answer. [link removed] Recent Headlines
Here's how to reduce drug costs [link removed] (December 19, 2019, The Hill, by NCPSSM President & CEO Max Richtman)
A Bill to Improve the Social Security Basic Benefit [link removed] (December 17, 2019, WRRD, Audio clip with NCPSSM President & CEO Max Richtman)
Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Portion Of Obamacare [link removed] (December 18, 2019, Kaiser Health News, Julie Rovner)
Grassley accuses McConnell of blocking progress on drug pricing bill [link removed] (December 18, 2019, The Hill, Peter Sullivan)
North America trade pact deals rare setback to Big Pharma [link removed] (December 19, 2019; AP; Paul Wiseman, Linda A. Johnson and Kevin Freking)
Change proposed by Trump Administration could cut benefits for thousands of recipients with disabilities [link removed] (December 18, 2019, The Hill, Anagha Srikanth)
[link removed] [link removed] [link removed] Member contributions to the National Committee, a nonprofit 501(c)(4)
organization, are not tax-deductible.
Copyright© 2020 by the National Committee
111 K Street, NE, Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20002
www.ncpssm.org [link removed] | 1-800-966-1935
Privacy Policy [link removed] | Disclosure Statement [link removed] | Click here to join [link removed]
Click here to forward this email [link removed] | Click here to unsubscribe [link removed]
