From Rebecca S. Fahrlander ; USA TODAY ~ May 31, 2017
President Donald Trump is right to not change Social Security by raising the eligibility age.
The last time the age for Social Security eligibility was raised was back in the 1980s, and the negative consequences of those changes are being lived out in the light of many Americans’ senior years now.
From Max Richtman; The Hill ~ May 30, 2017
The Trump administration has been attempting to spin its proposed $64 billion in cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance as somehow not cutting Social Security. Some in the media have parroted the White House line. “Trump’s Budget Slashes Spending, Leaves Social Security & Medicare Untouched,” declared a headline from Fox Business News. A CNN Money correspondent told Wolf Blitzer that Trump’s budget “doesn’t touch Social Security.”
By Judith Stein, The Hill – May 29, 2017
When people say that the American Health Care Act (AHCA) doesn’t affect older adults or touch Medicare: don’t believe it.
As the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed again last week, if this bill were enacted, 23 million people would lose their insurance coverage, disproportionately among older people with low-income, between age 50 and 64.
One of the most damaging aspects of AHCA is its devastating $834 billion cut and restructuring of Medicaid. These Medicaid changes will significantly affect the Medicare program, Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.
From Robin Seaton Jefferson; Forbes ~ May 27, 2017
There’s a meme circulating on social media of late of the visibly weathered and slightly arthritic hands of an Esther Walton-esque lady. Her hands lay upon her aproned lap along with several green beans. She’s clearly in snapping mode. The caption reads: “Part of the problem with the world today is that no one snaps green beans with grandma anymore.”
By Emily Swanson; The Associated Press ~ May 25, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing number of Americans age 40 and older think Medicare should cover the costs of long-term care for older adults, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
That option is unlikely to gain much traction as President Donald Trump’s administration and Republicans in Congress look to cut the federal budget and repeal President Barack Obama’s 2010 health care law. Most older Americans mistakenly believe they can rely on Medicare already, the poll shows, while few have done much planning for their own long-term care.
By Jon Reid; Morning Consult ~ May 25, 2017
The Food and Drug Administration is looking at ways to speed up the approval of generic medicines, part of a Trump administration effort to lower drug prices.
Newly installed FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told a congressional panel on Thursday that the agency is crafting a “drug competition action plan” aimed at expediting approval of generic versions of brand-name medications that lack competition.
From Matt Fellowes & Elizabeth Kelly; The Hill ~ May 23, 2017
Spending too much and saving too little has become as American as apple pie. But, there is one group that bucks this trend: older Americans.
As outlined in my recent report analyzing data from two University of Michigan surveys sponsored by federal agencies, the average adult aged 60 years or older will trim his or her spending by about 2.5 percent every year, or approximately 20 percent over a 10-year period.
By Dylan Scott; Vox ~ May 23, 2017
Donald Trump started his presidency with a pledge even more audacious than Obamacare repeal: He was going to bring down drug prices.
But four months in, with his policy agenda weighed down by Congress’s health care debate, not to mention assorted other distractions, it’s fair to wonder whether Trump will ever get around to fulfilling his pledge.
By Megan Elliott; Cheat Sheet ~ May 23, 2017
What’s going to happen to my Social Security? That question is likely on the mind of many currently and soon-to-be retired Americans in the wake of Donald Trump’s stunning election victory. During the campaign, the maverick candidate promised to “protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, without cuts.” Now that he’s on his way to the Oval Office, some are wondering whether he’ll change his tune.
From Jason J. Fichtner; The Hill ~ May 19, 2017
The national news is full of stories warning that Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. An often-cited index of retirement preparedness compiled by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College claims that, “(Fifty-two) percent of households are ‘at risk’ of not having enough to maintain their living standards in retirement.”
