Voters Say No Thanks to Christie’s Plans to Gut Social Security & Medicare
National Committee President/CEO, Max Richtman’s reacts to Chris Christie’s suspension of his Presidential campaign:
“New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s political strategy to portray himself as a tough-talking-truth-teller by promising to destroy America’s retirement safety net if elected President came to a predictable conclusion today. I say it’s predictable because Americans have worked hard to earn their Social Security and Medicare and this campaign shows they simply don’t support Christie’s slash and burn strategy. Voters, of all political persuasions, agree Social Security and Medicare must be strengthened not cut. That’s a powerful lesson for the remaining candidates after today’s Christie campaign suspension announcement.
National Committee members and supporters will continue our engagement with Presidential candidates in town halls and forums nationwide with one clear message — our nation must honor its commitment to America’s workers who’ve contributed to Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives. Not only do we oppose plans to privatize, means-test and slash benefits, working and retired Americans want candidates who have ideas on how to boost benefits for millions of seniors, survivors, people with disabilities and their families who are struggling just to get by.”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
President Proposes Allowing Medicare to Negotiate for Lower Rx Drug Prices
“It’s long past time for Congress to acknowledge the hard truth that the sky-rocketing cost of prescription drugs is hurting average Americans and our federal budget. Medicare spends billions providing Part D drug coverage each year while beneficiaries including seniors, the disabled and their families also face rising out-of-pocket costs and higher premiums. All the while, drug makers continue to reap the profits of their price gouging. In his budget, President Obama has again proposed lifting the ban preventing Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies. Big Pharma has lobbied hard to keep the ban in place but seniors expect, this time, Congress will do the right thing and finally allow Medicare to negotiate for fair prices.”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
Among the other budget provisions beneficial to seniors include:
- closing the Part D donut hole two years earlier
- additional funding for in-home services
- reforms for overpayments going to private insurers in Medicare Advantage
- a 7.44% increase in administrative funding for the Social Security Administration
However, the President’s budget was not all good news. Once again, the budget proposes shifting even more healthcare costs to seniors by extending Medicare means-testing to the middle class and increasing out-of-pocket costs such as the home health care copayment and the Part B deductible.
“The average Medicare beneficiary already spends nearly $4,800 per year in out-of-pocket health care costs with half of all people on Medicare having incomes of less than $24,150. People in Medicare simply can’t afford increased cost-sharing year-after-year. What’s especially worrisome are efforts to portray expanding means-testing in Medicare as impacting only ‘high-income seniors.’ While that may be good political rhetoric the truth is, if passed, further means testing will actually target middle-class individuals”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
African Americans Rely on Social Security for More of Their Retirement Income
As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight how important Social Security is to the African American community. The National Committee’s policy experts have prepared a new analysis of Social Security and African Americans. Here are some key points:
While Social Security is expected to be only one part of a person’s retirement income, many minorities rely on it for more of their income. Because African Americans tend to have lower earnings and less pension coverage than White Americans, Social Security is extremely important for African American retirees. Based on the most recently available data:
- Almost three-fourths (72 percent) of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for at least half their income, compared to less than two-thirds (65 percent) of all beneficiaries.
- Almost 50 percent of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income.
- Approximately 37 percent of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for all of their income.
Minorities rely more heavily on Social Security due to a lack of other income in retirement. Few elderly minorities receive income from pensions and assets. The greatest disparity is in the receipt of income from assets. Again, based on the most recent data,
- 26 percent of African Americans received income from assets, compared with more than 55 percent of Whites.
- 21 percent of African Americans 65 years old and over reported receiving income from private pensions or annuities, compared to 28 percent of Whites 65 years old and older.
IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY IS ESSENTIAL
As we have shown, Social Security is our nation’s most important and effective income security program for American workers, retirees and their families and is even more central to the economic security of African Americans. Maintaining the adequacy of Social Security by improving it to better meet the needs of America’s seniors is essential. Toward that end, the National Committee supports a number of improvements to boost Social Security, including the following:
- Strengthen the COLA.
- Improve the Basic Benefit for all Current and Future Beneficiaries.
- Enhance the Special Minimum Benefit.
- Restore College/Vocational School Student Benefits.
Get the Latest Social Security, Medicare & Campaign News on “Morning Read”
Feel like the 2016 Election is already too combative, frustrating and confusing? How can voters sort the fact from the fiction? We can help.
Be among the first to check out our new daily news update,
Sign up and receive the latest news delivered each morning via email.
New Election Website Designed for Seniors Launches Today
As Primary Season Gets Underway, SeniorVote2016
Provides Timely, Comprehensive and Important Resources for Voters
Whose Futures Depend on Social Security & Medicare
The 2016 election for the White House and Congress will be expensive, combative and extremely important for the future of generations of older Americans. Literally millions of American families are impacted by decisions made in Washington on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid yet these issues remain on the back-burner for many political candidates. To help arm voters with the facts, the National Committee has launched SeniorVote2016.org as a one-stop, easy to use source of information on the 2016 campaign.
SeniorVote2016‘s Candidate Watch provides easy-to-use interactive graphics showing the candidates’ campaign positions and plans for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with links to additional interviews and statements about these vital programs. The Reading Room offers details of current legislative proposals which would impact American’s retirement and health security including questions voters can ask candidates about where they stand on issues such as: turning Medicare into a voucher program, cutting Medicare to fund other programs, raising the Social Security retirement age, cutting benefits through adoption of the Chained CPI and creation of a cost of living adjustment for seniors (CPI-E). Visitors to SeniorVote2016 can also Take Action directly from the website by pledging to vote and engaging on social media with other Social Security and Medicare activists.
In addition to the roll out of SeniorVote2016, the National Committee has launched a daily email news digest, providing readers with the latest media coverage on the campaigns and the issues. “Your Morning Read” will have a summary of the important need-to-know stories voters will value as they determine which candidates are most committed to preserving and strengthening America’s most successful programs.
Voters Say No Thanks to Christie’s Plans to Gut Social Security & Medicare
National Committee President/CEO, Max Richtman’s reacts to Chris Christie’s suspension of his Presidential campaign:
“New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s political strategy to portray himself as a tough-talking-truth-teller by promising to destroy America’s retirement safety net if elected President came to a predictable conclusion today. I say it’s predictable because Americans have worked hard to earn their Social Security and Medicare and this campaign shows they simply don’t support Christie’s slash and burn strategy. Voters, of all political persuasions, agree Social Security and Medicare must be strengthened not cut. That’s a powerful lesson for the remaining candidates after today’s Christie campaign suspension announcement.
National Committee members and supporters will continue our engagement with Presidential candidates in town halls and forums nationwide with one clear message — our nation must honor its commitment to America’s workers who’ve contributed to Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives. Not only do we oppose plans to privatize, means-test and slash benefits, working and retired Americans want candidates who have ideas on how to boost benefits for millions of seniors, survivors, people with disabilities and their families who are struggling just to get by.”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
President Proposes Allowing Medicare to Negotiate for Lower Rx Drug Prices
“It’s long past time for Congress to acknowledge the hard truth that the sky-rocketing cost of prescription drugs is hurting average Americans and our federal budget. Medicare spends billions providing Part D drug coverage each year while beneficiaries including seniors, the disabled and their families also face rising out-of-pocket costs and higher premiums. All the while, drug makers continue to reap the profits of their price gouging. In his budget, President Obama has again proposed lifting the ban preventing Medicare from negotiating prices with the drug companies. Big Pharma has lobbied hard to keep the ban in place but seniors expect, this time, Congress will do the right thing and finally allow Medicare to negotiate for fair prices.”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
Among the other budget provisions beneficial to seniors include:
- closing the Part D donut hole two years earlier
- additional funding for in-home services
- reforms for overpayments going to private insurers in Medicare Advantage
- a 7.44% increase in administrative funding for the Social Security Administration
However, the President’s budget was not all good news. Once again, the budget proposes shifting even more healthcare costs to seniors by extending Medicare means-testing to the middle class and increasing out-of-pocket costs such as the home health care copayment and the Part B deductible.
“The average Medicare beneficiary already spends nearly $4,800 per year in out-of-pocket health care costs with half of all people on Medicare having incomes of less than $24,150. People in Medicare simply can’t afford increased cost-sharing year-after-year. What’s especially worrisome are efforts to portray expanding means-testing in Medicare as impacting only ‘high-income seniors.’ While that may be good political rhetoric the truth is, if passed, further means testing will actually target middle-class individuals”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
African Americans Rely on Social Security for More of Their Retirement Income
As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight how important Social Security is to the African American community. The National Committee’s policy experts have prepared a new analysis of Social Security and African Americans. Here are some key points:
While Social Security is expected to be only one part of a person’s retirement income, many minorities rely on it for more of their income. Because African Americans tend to have lower earnings and less pension coverage than White Americans, Social Security is extremely important for African American retirees. Based on the most recently available data:
- Almost three-fourths (72 percent) of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for at least half their income, compared to less than two-thirds (65 percent) of all beneficiaries.
- Almost 50 percent of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income.
- Approximately 37 percent of African American beneficiaries rely on Social Security for all of their income.
Minorities rely more heavily on Social Security due to a lack of other income in retirement. Few elderly minorities receive income from pensions and assets. The greatest disparity is in the receipt of income from assets. Again, based on the most recent data,
- 26 percent of African Americans received income from assets, compared with more than 55 percent of Whites.
- 21 percent of African Americans 65 years old and over reported receiving income from private pensions or annuities, compared to 28 percent of Whites 65 years old and older.
IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY IS ESSENTIAL
As we have shown, Social Security is our nation’s most important and effective income security program for American workers, retirees and their families and is even more central to the economic security of African Americans. Maintaining the adequacy of Social Security by improving it to better meet the needs of America’s seniors is essential. Toward that end, the National Committee supports a number of improvements to boost Social Security, including the following:
- Strengthen the COLA.
- Improve the Basic Benefit for all Current and Future Beneficiaries.
- Enhance the Special Minimum Benefit.
- Restore College/Vocational School Student Benefits.
Get the Latest Social Security, Medicare & Campaign News on “Morning Read”
Feel like the 2016 Election is already too combative, frustrating and confusing? How can voters sort the fact from the fiction? We can help.
Be among the first to check out our new daily news update,
Sign up and receive the latest news delivered each morning via email.
New Election Website Designed for Seniors Launches Today
As Primary Season Gets Underway, SeniorVote2016
Provides Timely, Comprehensive and Important Resources for Voters
Whose Futures Depend on Social Security & Medicare
The 2016 election for the White House and Congress will be expensive, combative and extremely important for the future of generations of older Americans. Literally millions of American families are impacted by decisions made in Washington on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid yet these issues remain on the back-burner for many political candidates. To help arm voters with the facts, the National Committee has launched SeniorVote2016.org as a one-stop, easy to use source of information on the 2016 campaign.
SeniorVote2016‘s Candidate Watch provides easy-to-use interactive graphics showing the candidates’ campaign positions and plans for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid with links to additional interviews and statements about these vital programs. The Reading Room offers details of current legislative proposals which would impact American’s retirement and health security including questions voters can ask candidates about where they stand on issues such as: turning Medicare into a voucher program, cutting Medicare to fund other programs, raising the Social Security retirement age, cutting benefits through adoption of the Chained CPI and creation of a cost of living adjustment for seniors (CPI-E). Visitors to SeniorVote2016 can also Take Action directly from the website by pledging to vote and engaging on social media with other Social Security and Medicare activists.
In addition to the roll out of SeniorVote2016, the National Committee has launched a daily email news digest, providing readers with the latest media coverage on the campaigns and the issues. “Your Morning Read” will have a summary of the important need-to-know stories voters will value as they determine which candidates are most committed to preserving and strengthening America’s most successful programs.