NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE for NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Nations Short-term and Long-term Fiscal Position (No bill): National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform deliberations pertaining to entitlement benefit program solvency, including the Social Security and Medicare. Fiscal Year 2011 Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations (No bill): proposals pertaining to funding the Social Security Administration, Older Americans Act programs, and Geriatric Education Centers and related programs. Presidents Fiscal Year 2012 Budget (No bill): pertaining to issues of income security, healthcare, Older Americans Act programming, and long-term care protections.

Contacted: Executive Office of the President (EOP); President of the U.S.; SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Health Issues HCR

Comprehensive Health Care Reform (No bill): pertaining to repeal of P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152.

Contacted: President of the U.S.; SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medicare/Home Health Benefits (No bill): Pertaining to potential regulation regarding the face-to-face physician encounter requirement to qualify for the Medicare home health benefit. Medicare/Part A Hospital Inpatient Status. H.R. 5950: provisions ensuring that beneficiaries receiving hospital services are designated inpatients, thereby assuring coverage of prescription drugs and post-acute care under Part A. Medicare/Physician Fees (P.L. 111-309): provisions relating to maintaining current levels of physician fees under Part B; extension of the therapy caps exceptions process; the extension of the Qualified Individual program (no bill). Medicare/Part B Premium. S. 3950, H.R. 3631: provisions extending the current "hold harmless" policy to all Medicare enrollees ensuring 2010 Part B monthly premiums remain at the current rate. Comprehensive Health Care Reform. P.L. 111-148 (H.R. 3590), P.L. 111-152 (H.R. 4872): implementation of provisions relating to reducing Medicare Advantage plan payments; reducing the coverage gap in Part D; requiring wealthier Medicare beneficiaries to pay a greater share of the cost of their premiums under Medicare Parts B and D; expanding benefits for low-income beneficiaries under the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS); improving the process for reassigning LIS beneficiaries to new plans; expanding coverage of prevention services; establishing a Medicare Commission; providing expanded Medicaid coverage for home and community-based services; authorizing the collection of data regarding disparities in the provision of care; providing safeguards and subsidies to assure affordability of health coverage for seniors. Medicare/Commission. P.L. 111-148 (H.R. 3590), P.L. 111-152 (H.R. 4872), S. 3653, H.R. 4985: pertaining to the repeal or modification of provisions creating an independent commission authorized to establish Medicare payment and policy designed to reduce Medicare spending growth. Medicare/Hearing Coverage. H.R. 504: authorizing coverage of hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation services under Medicare Part B. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Medicare/Parts C and D. P.L. 110-275, P.L. 108-173. implementation of regulations and issuance of guidance relating to beneficiary eligibility, enrollment, and effectiveness of exceptions and the appeals processes under Medicare Parts C and D. Medicare/Negotiation of Part D Drug Prices (No bill): pertaining to requiring the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate price concessions from pharmaceutical manufacturers for drugs purchased under the Part D program. Medicare/Prescription Drug Plan. S. 330, H.R. 684: authorizing the establishment of a Medicare-operated prescription drug plan. Medicare/Combating Waste, Fraud, Abuse. H.R. 5044: relating to provisions to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicare; H.R. 203: increasing civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse and increasing the surety bond amount for suppliers of durable medical equipment. Medicare and Medicaid/ Federal Coordinated Health Care Office (No bill): proposals for the activities of the Federal Coordinated Health Care Office intended to improve the management of the Part D low-income subsidy, the Medicare Savings Programs, and Special Needs Plans for dually-eligible beneficiaries. Medicare and Medicaid/ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations (No bill): relating to planning for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations, and the approach this office will take toward coordinated programs for dually-eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Contacted: SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.

Bills named: H.R. 684 (111th), S. 3950 (111th), H.R. 504 (111th), H.R. 5044 (111th), H.R. 1832 (111th), H.R. 5950 (111th), H.R. 4985 (111th), S. 330 (111th), H.R. 4872 (111th), S. 3653 (111th), H.R. 3590 (111th), H.R. 203 (111th), H.R. 3631 (111th)

Retirement RET

Social Security/Cost of Living Adjustment. S. 3985, S. 3976, H.R. 5987: provision providing a one-time, emergency benefit to seniors and persons with disabilities to compensate for the lack of a 2011 Social Security cost of living adjustment. Social Security. H.R. 4213 (Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010), S. Amdt. 3353: providing an emergency benefit of $250 to seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities to compensate for the lack of a 2010 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. Social Security/Seniors' Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). H.R. 1371, H.R. 2429, H.R. 2365, H.R. 4193, H.R. 5305: provisions establishing a consumer price index for elderly consumers (CPI-E) to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits and authorizing a cost-of living-adjustment for Social Security recipients in 2010. Social Security/Payroll Tax Holiday. H.R. 4853: provisions establishing a one-year, two percent payroll tax cut and extending tax cuts that were set to expire in 2010. Social Security/Privatization. H.R. 107, H.R. 4529: provisions converting Social Security into a system of private investment accounts. Social Security/Trust Funds. H.R. 1276, S. 86, H.R. 219, H.R. 1712: provisions removing Social Security Trust Fund receipts and disbursements from the federal budget baseline, limiting Trust Fund proceeds to OASDI purposes, and prohibiting the use of Social Security payroll tax monies for private accounts. Social Security/Benefit Indexing. S. 426: requiring progressive indexing and longevity indexing of Social Security old-age insurance benefits. Social Security/Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). S. 484, H.R. 235: repealing both the GPO and WEP; S. 490, H. R. 1221: repealing the WEP. Older Workers Workforce Participation. S. 502: promoting the labor force participation of older Americans. Pension Reform and Improvements (no bill): pertaining to initiatives to improve the pension system by making it universal, more secure and adequate. Womens Pension Improvements and Protections (no bill): provisions to improve working womens pension plan participation and pension account accumulation, and safeguard spousal rights pertaining to pensions at divorce.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; Executive Office of the President (EOP); President of the U.S.

Bills named: H.R. 4213 (111th), H.R. 2365 (111th), S. 86 (111th), H.R. 4853 (111th), H.R. 219 (111th), H.R. 4529 (111th), H.R. 1712 (111th), S. 484 (111th), H.R. 4193 (111th), S. 3985 (111th), H.R. 1276 (111th), H.R. 5305 (111th), H.R. 1371 (111th), H.R. 1221 (111th), H.R. 235 (111th), S. 502 (111th), H.R. 5987 (111th), H.R. 107 (111th), H.R. 2429 (111th), S. 490 (111th), S. 426 (111th), S. 3976 (111th)