Social Security & Seniors
Preserving Social Security
Rep. Israel believes that we need to protect and preserve Social Security so that Americans can retire with peace of mind. He has opposed efforts to privatize Social Security, including H.R. 2109 - a bill to privatize Social Security that was introduced in June 2011, because of the high risk involved with market fluctuations. Rep. Israel is open to Social Security reform efforts that do not turn the program into a stock market risk or otherwise undermine a program on which so many seniors depend.
In March 2009, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that there will not be a Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for at least three years, making things even harder on seniors who are struggling to get by in this difficult economic climate.
Rep. Israel is a co-sponsor of legislation to address this problem. In the 112th Congress (2011-2012), Rep. Israel supports the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2011(H.R. 798). He also co-sponsored this legislation in the 111th Congress (2009-2010). The calculation used for seniors is unfortunately based on prices of goods and services for younger workers, whereas seniors are facing skyrocketing health care and energy costs. Rep. Israel supports legislation that would ask the Bureau of Labor Statistics to publish a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers, which would take into consideration the different costs faced by seniors.
Rep. Israel also voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1), which included a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, disabled veterans and SSI recipients.
Protecting and Strengthening Medicare
On April 15, 2011, the House passed a budget resolution (H.Con.Res.34) that would end Medicare as we know it. Rep. Israel voted no and is strongly opposed to this plan. The proposal, introduced by GOP Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, replaces the current Medicare program with a voucher system that would force seniors eligible to enter the program in 2022 to buy their own costly private insurance. The Senate voted against the Ryan Budget on May 25, 2011.
Rep. Israel believes that Congress and the White House must work together on a plan that will protect and strengthen Medicare, but that ending Medicare’s guaranteed benefit must be taken off the table.
Prescription Drug Prices Hard on Seniors
Affordable health care is increasingly dependent on affordable prescription medicines. Too many seniors are forced to go across the border to Canada or simply forgo purchasing their prescription drugs because of the high cost of medicine today. The cost of prescription drugs is increasing at double-digit rates, and seniors on fixed incomes are disproportionately affected by this.
Rep. Israel believes we should fund research on the effectiveness of cheaper alternatives to heavily marketed drugs. He is also fighting the powerful drug lobby in Washington to permit the re-importation of safe, legal drugs from Canada, where American consumers can pay up to 50 percent less for their prescriptions.
Rep. Israel cosponsored the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007. This legislation, which passed the House of Representatives on January 12, 2007, requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for Medicare recipients.
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More on Social Security & Seniors
Huntington, NY— Today, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and New York State Senator Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset) warned New York seniors that scams targeting them are on the rise. The lawmakers have enlisted the help of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the United States Postal Inspectors Service (USPIS) and the Suffolk County District Attorney to inform seniors how to recognize these scams and report them, as the most effective way to combat scams is through spreading information about the scam and reporting to the authorities.
East Northport, NY— Today, Rep. Steve Israel (D – Huntington) announced that he’ll introduce legislation to protect seniors from identity theft and fraud. The bill would remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards, which currently display the number. Seniors are one of the most vulnerable populations to be targeted by identity thieves, with as many as one in five seniors being hit by fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Washington, D.C.— Today Rep. Steve Israel (D–Huntington) announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will withdraw the proposed rule for Medicare Part D. This decision comes in the wake of a letter that Rep. Israel and more than 30 of his House colleagues sent to CMS calling on them to withdraw the proposed change to Medicare drug coverage rules that would have limited seniors' choice of prescription drug plans and medications.
Commack, NY— Today, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington) introduced a plan to allow those caring for elderly relatives to receive up to a $1,200 tax credit for qualified elder care expenses. Many of these caregivers cannot claim their parents as dependents, because they live elsewhere, but are spending on average $5,530 out-of-pocket each year on expenses for their aging relatives. Rep. Israel’s legislation would extend the dependent care tax credit so these caregivers can receive a tax credit.
“More than 55,000 Long Islanders are living with Alzheimer’s and as the Baby Boomer generation ages that number is expected to skyrocket,” said Rep. Israel. “This forum brings together leaders in research, treatment and advocacy for an update on how we are progressing in the fight against Alzheimer’s. And there is good news, in January legislation I fought for, the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, became law, creating a coordinated national plan to overcome the Alzheimer’s crisis.”
“This recession has hit seniors hard. Their health care costs have risen and they’ve seen their savings wiped out and their home values fall,” Israel said. “Yet, the Washington number crunchers overlooked these factors when deciding whether to give Social Security recipients a cost of living adjustment. It makes no sense that Social Security benefits are determined by a formula that isn’t specific to seniors. We need to fix the process so that they don’t get an additional hit from their Social Security income.”