Alliance Members to Celebrate Medicare's 45th Birthday & Social Security Turns 75

On July 30th, the federal Medicare program turns 45 and Alliance For Retired Americans members will be celebrating the occasion with events all across the country.  The events will serve to remind lawmakers and the general public how important and efficient the Medicare program has been in providing health coverage to retirees.  At the same time, they will inform seniors on improvements to Medicare through the Health Care Reform Law.  Meanwhile, the 75th anniversary of Social Security also takes place this year, on August 14th.  The Alliance has submitted testimony to the Subcommittee on Social Security of the House Ways and Means Committee for the record during a July 15th hearing, "Social Security at 75 Years: More Necessary Now Than Ever."  In it, the Alliance addressed the incorrect words of deficit hawks who repeatedly claim that Social Security is to blame for the national debt, even though the program has not contributed to the federal deficit and maintains a $2.5 trillion surplus.  To find a Social Security 75th birthday event near you, go to http://bit.ly/aTIDaP.

Poll: Youth Losing Faith In Social Security

A disturbing recently-released Gallup poll shows three-fourths of those age 18 to 34 do not expect to receive a Social Security check upon retirement.  "Just like health reform's so-called 'death panels,' this poll shows that when lies and scare tactics are repeated often enough, they take root," said Alliance Executive Director Edward Coyle, who is urging Alliance members to tell younger generations that Social Security is on solid financial ground, but to be wary of those who falsely predict Social Security's demise to advance their agenda of cutting benefits and raising the retirement age.

Blue Cross Had Billions In Cash Reserves, Despite Rate Increases

Non-profit Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans stockpiled billions of dollars during the past decade, yet continued to hit consumers with double-digit premium increases, Consumers Union found in an analysis of 10 of the plans' finances.  As USA Today wrote, insurers must keep surplus money to ensure they can pay policyholders' medical bills if unexpected market conditions develop.  Yet seven of the plans examined held more than three times the amount regulators consider the minimum needed to do that, according to a report released Thursday by the non-profit consumer group.  "Fortunately, the new health care law would finally reign in the excessive greed of the big insurance companies," Alliance President Barbara Easterling said.

Unemployment Benefits Extended For Those Jobless More Than Six Months

Last Week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat-Nevada) officially secured the 60 votes needed to break the filibuster on the extension of unemployment benefits for those who have been without a job for more than six months.  Maine Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe voted with Democrats in favor of ending debate.  Democratic Senator Ben Nelson (Nebraska), however, voted with Republicans. When the newly sworn-in Senator Carte Goodwin (Democrat-West Virginia) voted, members applauded on the floor.  The Senate later voted 59 to 39 to restore emergency jobless benefits to the millions of people who have been out of work for more than half a year.  The House voted 272-152 to ratify the measure on Thursday and sent it to the White House, where President Obama quickly signed it.  "Retirees worry about their family and friends, and are happy that partisan obstructionist tactics are finally over and people can get the help they need," Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks said.

Alliance President Easterling Takes Part In Atlanta Housing Forum

On Thursday, Atlanta-area residents facing foreclosure joined community groups, clergy and Organized Labor and government leaders at a hearing to demand that big banks like Wells Fargo/Wachovia reform their policies and protect homeowners facing foreclosure.  Residents losing their homes detailed the big banks' role in the foreclosure crisis and told stories of its impact on their families and communities.  Participants pointed to lending practices of the big banks and decried their targeting of minority communities.  The Atlanta Fighting Foreclosure Coalition and the AFL-CIO sponsored the hearing.  Alliance President Easterling and Arlene Holt-Baker, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, were two of the panelists.  After the hearing, hundreds of residents headed to the Wells Fargo/Wachovia downtown branch in Atlanta for a rally and a meeting with bank executives to discuss the modification of mortgages in suffering communities.