All posts by rebecca

Biden to Replace Ron Bloom, USPS Board Chair and DeJoy Ally, on Postal Board of Governors

President Biden announced that he plans to replace Ron Bloom, the chairman of the US Postal Service's governing board and a key ally to current Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy. The bipartisan, nine-member board is tasked with overseeing Postal Service operations, including the hi... Read more

Medicare Premiums to Take a Big Bite out of Social Security’s 5.9% COLA in 2022

The standard monthly Medicare Part B premium in 2022 will rise to $170.10 from $148.50 in 2021 – a 14.55% jump and more than double what had been expected. A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) official told CNN that $10 of the $21.70 increase was due to the pri... Read more

UAW Members End John Deere Strike with Higher Wages and Stronger Retirement Benefits

Over 10,000 striking John Deere workers returned to work Thursday after ratifying a new contract. The agreement includes wage increases and was ratified after union members rejected a previous contract. The workers, members of the UAW, ratified a new six-year agreement tha... Read more

House Passes Historic Build Back Act that Lowers Drug Prices, Funds Home Care and Hearing Aids

The House voted 220-213 to pass the Build Back Better Act, H.R. 5376, Friday morning, sending President Biden’s sweeping plan to invest in middle class families and expand long-awaited social programs to the U.S. Senate. The bill contains numerous benefits for older Americans, ... Read more

Legislation is Introduced in House to Reduce Barriers for Older Workers

U.S. Representatives Marie Newman (IL), Don Beyer (VA), Suzanne Bonamici (OR) and Sylvia Garcia (TX) recently introduced the Supporting Older Workers Act, H.R. 5531, a bill designed to improve and advance the employment, economic success and well-being of America’s older worker... Read more

Alliance Activists Make the Case for the Build Back Better Act

Alliance chapters across the country have been working hard to solidify support for the Build Back Better Act. In Connecticut on Wednesday, Mary Elia, Corresponding Secretary for the Connecticut Alliance, joined the U.S. Senators from Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Mur... Read more

Build Back Better Act Clears Procedural Vote in House, Awaits Next Steps

Following the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Friday, November 5, Democrats in Congress passed a key procedural vote to set up eventual passage of the Build Back Better Act, H.R. 5376, as they worked toward securing commitments from a group of holdout members. ... Read more

Despite Restraints, Democrats’ Drug Pricing Plan Could Still Aid Consumers

The Medicare prescription drug pricing plan Democrats unveiled this week is not nearly as ambitious as many lawmakers sought, but they and drug policy experts say the provisions crack open the door to reforms that could have dramatic effects. Tamping down drug expenses has bee... Read more

Democrats Plan to Expand Medicare Hearing Benefits. What Can Consumers Expect?

President Joe Biden’s mammoth domestic spending bill would add hearing benefits to the traditional Medicare program — one of three major new benefits Democrats had sought. The Biden administration appears to have fallen short of its ambition to expand dental and vision alo... Read more