As many as 1/3 of respondents to a survey said that they are not taking their prescriptions as directed due to cost, up from about 1/4 three years ago (The New York Times).
Jul 3, 2009Friday Alert
Senate Panel Questions Private Insurers' Credibility, Shows Need for a Public Plan As the public health plan option, adamantly opposed by insurers, is considered in the Senate, the Senate Commerce Committee released a report last week exposing greedy and dishonest acts by insurance companies.
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Jun 26, 2009Friday Alert
President Obama Says He is "Flexible" on Offering a Public Health Plan...
A New York Times poll released on Sunday showed that a remarkable 72% of Americans support a public health care plan.
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Jun 22, 2009Friday Alert
Retirees Lobby Congress on Health Care Reform Nearly 550 retirees attended the Alliance's annual legislative conference last week.
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Jun 12, 2009Friday Alert
Senate HELP Committee Releases Health Care Bill Containing a Public Plan
Democrats from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) filed a 651-page health care reform bill on Tuesday.
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Jun 5, 2009Friday Alert
Senators Baucus, Kennedy Offer Different Visions for Health Care Reform
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance Committee have adopted different views on health care reform.
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May 29, 2009Friday Alert
Be Careful When the Insurance Industry Says It Would Like to Help!
According to the AFL-CIO blog, profits at ten of the country's largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, while consumers paid more for less coverage.
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May 22, 2009Friday Alert
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."
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May 15, 2009Friday Alert
Coyle Says Not to Overreact to Trustees Reports
The financial health of Social Security and Medicare has worsened because of the severe recession, according to Trustees Reports released on Tuesday. However, Alliance leaders cautioned the public not to panic.
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May 8, 2009Friday Alert
Alliance's 2008 Voting Record Shows Congress is Becoming More Pro-Senior
On Monday, the Alliance released a new report detailing the voting record of every U.S. Senator and Representative on key issues affecting current and future retirees.
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May 1, 2009Friday Alert
Retirees' Stake in Health Care Reform to be the Theme for Older Americans Month
Retirees have a stake in health care reform, and May - Older Americans Month - is when seniors will be driving that point home!
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Apr 24, 2009Friday Alert
Medicare Advantage Plans Face Changes in 2010
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently established stricter rules for private insurance companies, effectively cutting subsidies to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by up to 5%.
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Apr 17, 2009Friday Alert
Obama Addresses Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security in Economic Speech
In a speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday, President Obama assessed economic recovery efforts, linking health care costs to broader economic problems and speaking of the need for health care reform to reign in the...
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Apr 9, 2009Friday Alert
Insurance Companies' Medicare Advantage Subsidies Begin to Disappear
The Obama administration's plan to rein in private Medicare drug plans began on Monday, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced cuts in payments for private Medicare Advantage plans in 2010.
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Apr 3, 2009Friday Alert
Senate Votes Against Entitlement Task Force
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted against an amendment to the fiscal 2010 budget resolution which would have created an Entitlements Task Force to address the long-term funding shortfalls faced by Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and...
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Mar 27, 2009Friday Alert
Sen. Specter Comes Out Against the Employee Free Choice Act
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the only Republican to side with Democrats on the Senate's last vote on union-organizing legislation, announced on Tuesday that he would not vote for this session's bill.
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Mar 20, 2009Friday Alert
U.S. House Moves Forward on Health Care Reform
Three committee chairmen in the U.S. House have agreed to work together to pass similar health care reform legislation in their committees before the recess in August.
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Mar 13, 2009Friday Alert
Possible Social Security Overhaul Generates Renewed Debate
Congressional Democrats "are embroiled in a battle behind the scenes over whether a politically treacherous Social Security overhaul has any place in an agenda already stuffed to the gills," according to the publication Roll Call....
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Mar 6, 2009Friday Alert
Alliance Participates in White House Health Care Summit
President Barack Obama stepped up his effort to pass health-care-reform legislation this week, naming a new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and hosting a White House summit to discuss solutions to the...
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Feb 27, 2009Friday Alert
President Unveils New Budget, Slashes Medicare Advantage Overpayments
President Obama yesterday released a proposed $3.6 trillion budget designed to cut the federal deficit in half by the end of his first term, while investing heavily in renewable energy, education and comprehensive health...
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Feb 20, 2009Friday Alert
Barbara Easterling Elected President of the Alliance
Barbara J. Easterling was elected President of the Alliance on Thursday, succeeding George J. Kourpias. The vote took place at a meeting of the Alliance's Executive Committee.
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Feb 6, 2009Friday Alert
Stimulus Vote in Senate May Take Place Tonight
This week, the U.S. Senate heatedly debated President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. The bill, introduced in the Senate as S. 1, contains several important provisions that directly affect retirees.
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Jan 30, 2009Friday Alert
House Passes Stimulus Package; Senate to Debate Its Version
On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed H.R. 1, an $819 billion stimulus package, by a vote of 244-188. While the vote was mostly cast along party lines, the plan's passage is a move toward reviving the economy and marks an early...
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Jan 23, 2009Friday Alert
Obama Inauguration Brings Together All Generations
On Tuesday, an exuberant crowd braved frigid temperatures to celebrate Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th president of the United States. D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty estimated Tuesday's crowd at "roughly" 1.8 million, shattering the...
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Jan 16, 2009Friday Alert
U.S. House Stimulus Recovery Package Outline Includes Provisions for Seniors
On Thursday, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the outline for the House's $825 billion economic recovery package. The package includes an additional Supplemental...
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Jan 9, 2009Friday Alert
Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Spending on Retiree Programs
On Wednesday, President-elect Barack Obama said that overhauling spending on retiree programs would be "a central part" of his administration's efforts to contain the federal budget.
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Dec 19, 2008Friday Alert
Auto Industry to Receive $17.4 Billion in Government Loans
On Friday, the White House announced a $17.4 billion loan package for the Detroit automakers that allows them to avoid bankruptcy and leaves many of the big decisions for the Obama administration.
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Nov 21, 2008Friday Alert
Alliance Calls for Federal Loan to Auto Industry
Last Friday, the Alliance Executive Board voted unanimously to join labor and business groups in urging Congress and the White House to provide emergency financial assistance to the U.S. auto industry.
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Nov 7, 2008Friday Alert
Barack Obama is Elected President; Democrats Gain Seats in House, Senate
Sen. Barack Obama was elected the nation’s 44th President on Tuesday night, winning the popular vote over Sen. John McCain, 52.3% - 46.4%.
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Oct 31, 2008Friday Alert
Election Day is Upon Us – Please Do Your Part
George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans, says, "It is time for voters to decide once again what kind of country we want..."
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Oct 24, 2008Friday Alert
Alliance Activity Reaches a Crescendo as Election Nears
Monday was the first day of early voting in Florida, and the Alliance for Retired Americans commemorated the day by hosting an ice cream social with Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) in Palm Beach.
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Oct 10, 2008Friday Alert
McCain Health Plan Would Cut Medicare by 22%
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Senator John McCain’s health plan would be financed through $1.3 trillion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years. According to the Tax Policy Center, this would be a 22% cut in both programs.
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Oct 3, 2008Friday Alert
State Voter Registration Deadlines Begin October 4 - Tell Your Friends! In the upcoming Presidential, Senate, and Congressional elections, seniors could be the key! Please make sure you and everyone you know is registered to vote. Most state deadlines for registering for the November 4th...
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Sep 26, 2008Friday Alert
Retiree Roadrunner Van Wraps Up First Trip to Ohio – Missouri is Next!
On Monday, the Retiree Roadrunner van completed its first Ohio trip with a stop in Columbus. Wrapped in red, white and blue roadrunner graphics, the Alliance’s eight-passenger Retiree Roadrunner vans are traveling across...
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Sep 19, 2008Friday Alert
Retiree Roadrunner Van Makes Its First Run in Ohio
Wrapped in red, white and blue roadrunner graphics, the Alliance’s eight-passenger Retiree Roadrunner vans are traveling across the nation, carrying with them information on Social Security, economic security, and voter protection for...
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Sep 12, 2008Friday Alert
Alliance’s Retiree Roadrunner Vans Hit the Asphalt on Behalf of Seniors
Alliance for Retired Americans members who built the American Dream - steel workers, veterans, and retired teachers - want dignity in retirement, and the Alliance is hitting the road to protect it! The Retiree...
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Sep 5, 2008Friday Alert
Republican Convention Platform Raises Concerns
The Republican Party held its nominating convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota this week, officially nominating Sen. John McCain of Arizona for President and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to be Vice President. As a U.S. Senator, McCain has...
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Aug 29, 2008Friday Alert
Democratic Conventioneers Agree: “Yes We Can!”
At a gathering that stressed unity, highly energized and impassioned delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver officially named Sen. Barack Obama their nominee for President of the United States.
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Aug 15, 2008Friday Alert
Social Security Celebrates 73rd Birthday, Alliance Fights for 73 More
From Oregon to Florida, the Alliance celebrated Social Security’s 73rd birthday with 25 grassroots events lauding the program that has kept millions of Americans out of poverty and by promising to continue fighting...
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Aug 8, 2008Friday Alert
Have a Voter Rights Issue? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires all polling sites to have at least one voting system designated for use by disabled voters. However, one disabled voter in Missouri has had to spend two hours at the polls each time she voted in 2006,...
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Aug 1, 2008Friday Alert
Guiding Principles for Medicare Released as Program Celebrates its 43rd Birthday
The Alliance marked the 43rd birthday of Medicare on Wednesday with celebrations around the country and the release of a comprehensive roadmap for the program’s future in Washington, DC.
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Jul 25, 2008Friday Alert
Alliance Members Tell John McCain Social Security is not “A Disgrace”
Alliance members from coast to coast spent the last week combating Sen. John McCain’s recent comment that Social Security is an “absolute disgrace” and calling on the Senator to return his own Social Security checks.
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