Blog

• KHN: ‘They Treat Me Like I’m Old and Stupid’: Seniors Decry Health Providers’ Age Bias

  October 20, 2021: Joanne Whitney, 84, a retired associate clinical professor of pharmacy at the University of California-San Francisco, often feels devalued when interacting with health care providers. There was the time several years ago when...Read more >

• USPS Postal Banking Pilot Launched in Four Cities

  October 12, 2021: The United States Postal Service (USPS) has begun a paycheck-cashing service pilot program in several locations across the East Coast, where patrons can cash paychecks for Visa gift cards up to $500. Postal customers can redeem paychecks in Washingto...Read more >

• Forty-nine Democratic Senators Introduce Voting Rights Legislation

  October 12, 2021: Senate Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday, October 5, aimed at restoring voting protections that were lost in two Supreme Court decisions over the course of the last decade. Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT) introduced the “John Lewis Voting Righ...Read more >

• Alliance Members Speak Out for Drug Price Negotiation and Expanded Medicare Benefits

  October 12, 2021: On Wednesday, October 6, a group of health care advocates including the Florida Alliance (FLARA), medical professionals, and faith leaders held a virtual event urging Rep. Stephanie Murphy (FL), another House Democrat who has opposed drug price negot...Read more >

• Drug Corporations Kick Lobbying into High Gear to Stop Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

  October 12, 2021: Millions of dollars in advertising, funded by pharmaceutical corporations and business organizations, are being spent to block President Biden’s Build Back Better plan, and the provision allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and expand b...Read more >

• KHN: The Public Backs Medicare Rx Price Negotiation Even After Hearing Both Sides’ Views

  October 12, 2021: As Congress debates cutting prescription drug costs, a poll released Tuesday found the vast majority of adults — regardless of their political party or age — support letting the federal government negotiate drug prices for Medicare beneficiar...Read more >

• Extreme Wealth Inequality at All Ages is Tied to Retirement Struggles for Many Americans

  October 04, 2021: Researchers with the National Institute on Retirement Security have found stark wealth inequality among members of the Baby Boom generation, which they defined as Americans aged 55-73. The entire bottom half of Baby Boomers held only 2% of their g...Read more >

• CEOs Against Medicare Price Negotiation Were Paid $400 Million Collectively Last Year

  October 04, 2021: The fight over allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and use the savings to expand guaranteed dental, hearing and vision benefits, continued in earnest on Capitol Hill this week. Executives from 33 pharmaceutical corporations sent a le...Read more >

• KHN: An Ad’s Charge That Price Haggling Would ‘Swipe $500 Billion From Medicare’ Is Incorrect

  September 29, 2021: “These guys [insurance companies and Washington bureaucrats] are working together to swipe $500 billion from Medicare to pay for Pelosi and Schumer’s out-of-control spending spree.” Video advertisement from the 60 Plus American Ass...Read more >

• Nabisco Strike Ends: BCTGM Members Overwhelmingly Accept New Contract

  September 27, 2021: Alliance members have been strong supporters of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) workers at Nabisco/Mondelez plants throughout the United States as they fought the company’s plans to move prod...Read more >