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"Tanker Deal"
The story of this "tanker deal" has much broader implications than simply awarding a contract to build planes. This is a story about the priorities of our nation. It is a story about national secrets and about providing jobs for the workers of this country. It is also story about selling off one of the last remaining industries in this country. We've already sold off manufacturing, textiles and even our telephone support industry. The only industries we haven't sold yet are entertainment and aerospace. If this refueling tanker contract goes to a French company, we have then sold our jobs, our national security and our secret weapon to a foreign country who has no interest in keeping our secrets secret. More
George Korpius, President ARA, writes: Medicare Confusion Comes from Talking out of Both Sides of the Political Mouth
I’m always reading. I love to keep up on what is going on, and like you, I believe it is our responsibility as citizens to stay informed and make intelligent decisions.
Two articles I recently came across really caught my eye. The first said, “Medicare Advantage Drives Humana Profit Above Expectations.” (Associated Press, 4/28/08). Humana’s profits are up 12.5 percent this year because of its success with government contracts.
And then I read “Medicare ‘drifting towards disaster’: U.S. Official.” (Reuters, 4/29/08). According to the article, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said that Medicare faces a dire financial future.
Am I the only one who is confused? More
Consumer-First Energy Act Alleviates Seniors’ Suffering at the Hands of Oil Company Executives
Alliance for Retired Americans Member Retiree Tells Congress of Tough Budget Choice: Fuel vs. Food
The following statement was issued today (5-9-2008) by Josephine Powe, a member of the Alliance for Retired Americans, at a press conference announcing the introduction in the Senate of the Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008. More
McCain would put Social Security at risk
By: Frank Lay, President, Colorado Alliance For Retired Americans Lakewood
Monday, March 31, 2008
As a retiree who worked hard all his life to earn a living for himself and his family, I was saddened to learn from a story in The Wall Street Journal that Sen. John McCain has called for the privatization of Social Security. More
McCain Misses the Mark
For decades, John McCain rode a tide of media coverage
portraying him as a straight shooter with the
character to be honest with the American people. Eight years later, he's still claiming to be a
"straight shooter." Even though he recently embraced
the Bush positions on tax cuts for the
mega-rich, we have to believe him when he revives his
eight year old position on the privatization of Social
Security---one which he shared with George W. the
last time they tangled. More
Your Home: A Source of Money...Or Of Trouble?
 As the US population ages, reverse mortgages have grown into a $20-billion-a-year industry, with elderly homeowners taking out more than 132,000 such loans in 2007. Many borrowers say reverse mortgages have improved their lives and provided money they needed for retirement, but many others complain about high-pressure or unethical sales tactics they say steered them toward loans with very high fees. Still others say they were tricked into unprofitable investments, while sales agents pocketed rich commissions. GET THE DETAILS HERE |
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Arthur Boulton, President WASARA |
Tighter Rules for Medicare?
The U.S. Senate Finance Committee is meeting on Medicare legislation to address payments for doctors, and tighter rules for Medicare Advantage plans. The Committee Chairman, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), said “that the committee had found some areas of agreement surrounding physician payments, and stopping unscrupulous marketing of plans to Medicare Beneficiaries.” There is also a push to have nursing home legislation included in the bill to upgrade nursing home care, increase the penalties for violations of federal standards, and increase transparency.
Chairman Baucus has been meeting with Senate Finance Committee members from both parties to craft legislation to stop the scheduled 10.6 percent cut in the rates Medicare pays doctors. To keep that from happening, lawmakers are looking for at least $9 billion in savings from other Medicare programs over the next five years. The scheduled rate cuts would be offset by cuts in privately operated Medicare Advantage plans. Baucus and other Democrats want to put a cap on the subsidy that insurance companies receive to offer private Medicare Advantage plans, as the cost to taxpayers is more than the traditional Medicare program. The average subsidy paid to private insurance companies who offer Medicare Advantage plans is 117 percent the cost of traditional Medicare, and some plans receive much higher rates. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) also a member of the Senate Finance Committee, stated, “Capping the payments at 130 percent of traditional Medicare costs would save $6 billion over five years”.
The Associated Press has reported that the Bush administration is threatening to veto any legislation that protects doctors’ Medicare payments at the expense of private insurers. “The Bush Administration is putting the interests of private insurers before those of seniors, “said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “Medicare beneficiaries need the doctor payment issue to be resolved quickly, and veto threats that protect corporate interests don’t move the ball forward.” With the expiration of the current physician payment plan approaching on June 30, the Congress needs to find a solution in the best interest of American’s seniors. |
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