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ISSUES
INCOME SECURITY AND GOOD HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA's ELDERLY:
The Two Pillars of a Just Society
The Maryland/District of Columbia Alliance for Retired Americans (MD/DC ARA) brings together over 50 thousand retirees from labor and community-based groups into a grassroots movement to improve the health care, economic security and life prospects of older Americans.
As former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much but whether we provide enough for those who have little."
This is not only necessary to build a strong economy, but also for a humanitarian society. The following are the United Nations principles we should adopt in our efforts:
Independence- Older persons and retirees should have access to adequate food, water, shelter, clothing and health care, opportunity to gain an income, have education, and reside at home as long as possible, through the means of income, family and community support and self-help.
Participation- Older persons should remain integrated in society, participate actively in the formulation and implementation of policies that directly affect their well-being, share their knowledge and skills with younger generations and be able to seek and develop opportunities for service to the community.
Care and Dignity- Older persons should have access to social and legal services to enhance their autonomy, protection and health care to help them to maintain or regain the optimum level of physical, mental and emotional well- being and to prevent or delay the onset of illness and to protect them in appropriate levels of care in a humane, respectful and secure environment.
Self-fulfillment - Older persons should be able to pursue opportunities for the full development of their potential.
INCOME SECURITY
MD/DC Alliance for Retired Americans Position: Social Security: Protect. Preserve. Pass it on.
The MD/DC ARA supports preserving and strengthening the current Social Security system to protect the quality of life for America's retirees and seniors even at a time when America faces other challenges at home and abroad. Our premise is universality: that regardless of income, every person must contribute to the Social Security system, no exceptions.
MD/DC ARA opposes privatization of Social Security which would establish individual investment accounts that dilute future guaranteed Social Security benefits.
MD/DC ARA concurs with the recommendations of the Social Security Advisory Board to provide adequate funding for the Social Security Administration to improve its level of service to the public, and to exclude the agency's administrative budget from the arbitrary discretionary spending cap in the federal budget.
MD/DC ARA supports reform by the U.S. Congress of the Social Security Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision, which unfairly penalize those who have paid into the system.
Quality Affordable Health Care for All
In principle, The MD/DC ARA supports the creation of a high quality, affordable health care system for all, which provides comprehensive services, including long term care.
HEALTH CARE REFORM
Why it is good for America, though short of what we wanted. It is a good start and has opened the door for improving it incrementally.
Cost $940 Billion over ten years
Completely paid for by $500 billion in Medicare savings and through efficiencies
Benefits
v 32 million presently uninsured persons will be covered
v Some of savings will fill the donut hole
v Excise tax on high-cost health plans: Exemptions: $10,000 for individual; $27,000 for a family
v Creates state exchanges for small businesses and individuals
v Tax credits to enable purchase of insurance
v Penalties for employers of over 50 persons if they do not insure their employees
v Eliminates pre-existing non-insurable condition for children
v Extends coverage for young people on parents’ policies up to age 26
v Bans life-time limits on coverage
v Bans annual limits for new policies
v Phases out donut hole by 2020
v One free annual checkup
v No co-pay on preventive screenings
v Improved patient care
v Reductions on subsidy for Medicare Advantage Plans
COMMISSION ON THE DEFICIT
Among key issues is the threat to seniors from the Commission on the Deficit, many of its 18 members aiming to reduce the deficit on the backs of seniors through cutbacks in Social Security (SS) and Medicare. It was established on 2/10/10. It will make its UP or Down (fast track) report to Congress on 12/1/10. It has unprecedented authority to fundamentally alter SS and Medicare. ARA says it will meet behind closed doors with little room for accountability and no room for the democratic process. The county is in trouble, not because of social security, but because of a corrupt Wall Street, two wars and irresponsible tax cuts. It is not true that this year the monies paid out were greater than the monies paid in because no account was taken of the considerable interest earned on the Trust Fund which far more than compensated for the alleged shortfall. The news media is spreading misinformation to create hysteria over our paid for social insurance (not an entitlement). Let your congressional representatives know you expect the Commission to be open and not to target seniors for cutbacks.
2010 ELECTIONS
The 2010 mid-year Congressional elections were discussed at length, with concern about expected losses and the probable number. All of the House seats are up for re-election and
36 Senate seats are up. We have work to get seniors who vote heavily to support our progressive candidates.
The Older Americans Act is Essential
The MD/DC Alliance Position: MD/DC ARA recommends increased funding for services provided to the elderly through the Older Americans Act. The Older Americans Act is the prominent vehicle delivering key services to older persons to encourage community based care and prevents unnecessary or premature institutionalization. Over the last several years, financial support for these programs has declined, as funding increases have not kept pace with inflation or the growing population eligible for services. A significant increase in funding can enhance the ability of older Americans to live with maximum health, independence, and dignity in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
For further information on issues facing retirees and seniors, visit the Web site of the Alliance for Retired Americans at: www.retiredamericans.org
TALKING POINTS FOR 2010 MARYLAND SENIOR ISSUES
- Seek level funding for the Department of Aging, the Office of Health Care Quality; the programs and services that support seniors in the Department of Human Resources, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Support Senior Care program. Currently, enrollment is frozen in order to control costs. It can be demonstrated that, even in the short term, the Senior Care program can save the state more dollars than it costs. USM believes enrollment in the Senior Care program should be re-opened.
- Support legislation that mandates a Uniform Power of Attorney to replace the inefficient and more costly present situation of different forms for different providers and institutions.
- Oppose moving funding of retirement plans to local jurisdictions. Moving the fiscal problem "downstream" might make the state’s budget look better, but it would devastate local budgets, and possibly cause benefit differentials that might make it difficult for some jurisdictions to attract the best educators.
- Support the recommendations of the Hospice and Palliative Care Workgroup and would support any action by legislators to implement them.
- Support legislation that would create "Communities for Life," and require "visitability" features be incorporated in new construction, so that homes can accommodate seniors who develop limited mobility as they age and permit them to continue living at home.
- Support the Adult Waiver program services approximately 3500 individuals. There are now over 18,000 people on its registry. We understand that funding more "slots" (7500 are authorized) may not be possible at this time, but strongly believes the program must be maintained.
- Water and power are critical commodities that we cannot live without. Support strong public oversight of power and water utilities to keep costs as affordable as possible for those on fixed or limited incomes.
Governor Martin O'Malley Announces Legislative Agenda to Create Jobs, Strengthen Small Businesses, Enhance Public Safety
Agenda includes legislation to provide immediate tax relief to small businesses, keep Maryland families in their homes, protect children from predators, fuel green innovation, and improve the nation's best public school system ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 25, 2010) –Governor Martin O’Malley submitted his legislative agenda today, focusing on strengthening small businesses and creating jobs to bring Maryland through the national recession. The Governor also proposed additional protections for Maryland families facing foreclosure, and specific reforms to further improve the nation’s number one public school system. And the Governor’s energy agenda focuses on fueling innovation to create green jobs, and position Maryland as a national leader in renewable resources.
“There is no government program that is as important and empowering as a job which allows a family to raise their kids with dignity and respect and a roof over their heads. Our task as public servants is to continue making the choices and connections that will allow our families to get through these tough times even stronger,” said Governor O’Malley. “The times we live in call out for less partisanship and more citizenship, and as Marylanders, we have a history of coming together in times of great adversity.”
“Governor O’Malley and I continue our efforts to stand up for Maryland’s families. Our ambitious legislative package builds on the progress we have made in past years and will help create an atmosphere that fosters job creation and improves the health of all Marylanders,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “I am excited to work with the General Assembly to help Governor O’Malley pass these important bills.
”In addition to job creation initiatives, the Governor announced today comprehensive legislation to impose lifetime supervision requirements for sexual predators, including rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and other sexual offenses. The bill would require judges to order lifetime probation, which may include GPS or other monitoring, imposes criminal penalties for violation of probation, and disallows dimunition credits for violations.
The Governor’s proposals call for a $3,000 credit for businesses for every unemployed Marylander that it hires. This initiative, when fully utilized, can account for 6,700 Marylanders coming off the unemployment rolls and back into the workforce. In addition, Governor O’Malley submitted emergency legislation to provide immediate unemployment insurance tax relief for small businesses, and a series of reforms to modernize the system and stabilize the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
Governor O’Malley proposed legislation to fuel innovation in Maryland’s green economy, including a tax credit for the purchase of next generation electric vehicles, expected to be on the market in the fall of this year. Governor O’Malley’s proposal to accelerate Maryland’s solar Renewable Portfolio Standards requirements in the early years (2011 – 2017) would result in more residential and commercial solar installation and greater job creation. In addition, the Heritage Tax Credit program has been broadened into a Sustainable Communities Tax Credit, not only to create and sustain construction and design jobs on historic structures, but to reward those development projects that adhere to ecologically-friendly building standards. The Governor also called for the reauthorization of the Renewable Energy Production tax credit, and has submitted legislation that will make the production of off-shore wind energy in Maryland more feasible.
.In addition to job creation initiatives, Governor O’Malley will also submit legislation giving every Maryland family facing foreclosure the legal right to mediation with the lender seeking the foreclosure. Building on the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s bold reforms of the foreclosure process and timelines in 2007, the Administration remains committed to ensuring that those homeowners who are eligible for loan modifications are able to obtain them, and that others can pursue alternatives to avoid foreclosure or lessen its harmful impact. Borrowers who may be eligible for loan modifications to save their homes but find themselves facing foreclosure anyway should be afforded the opportunity to talk directly with their lenders to find a resolution before their homes are sold. This bill gives Maryland families the right to a foreclosure mediation process upon filing of foreclosure proceedings. It requires lenders/servicers to use the 45 day period prior to the filing of the foreclosure action more productively to achieve loan modifications where possible by requiring the Notice to include a loss mitigation application and other information helpful to the homeowner to prevent the loss of their home.
Governor O’Malley will also introduce legislation to improve upon Maryland’s public school system, named the nation’s number one public school system by Education Week Magazine for the second straight year. Included among the reforms is a proposal to develop the structure necessary for the creation of a longitudinal data system, which would track students as they move from elementary school through higher education in order to better track progress, trends, and best practices in education. Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation to make funding for the Higher Education Investment Fund from corporate tax revenues permanent and to establish a Tuition Stabilization Account in the Fund in order to establish a more predictable, affordable tuition policy and avoid large tuition increases in the future. The Higher Education Investment Fund was created under the O’Malley-Brown Administration to help stabilize tuition and make college more affordable for Maryland’s working families.
The Governor also plans on introducing legislation at a later date to better position Maryland for federal Race to the Top funding. The Governor continues to work with stakeholders to craft reforms that will further improve the nation’s number one public school system.
Governor O’Malley also introduced legislation today establishing the framework for patient centered medical homes (PCMH), a model of primary care in which a team of health professionals, guided by a personal physician, provides continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. The bill directs the Maryland Health Care Commission to establish a PCMH Program consisting of all-payer and single-payer PCMH pilots. A PCMH program in law will establish a clear state action claim and protect stakeholders from federal anti-trust challenges.
Governor O’Malley also reintroduced legislation from last year to advance the State’s efforts to contain costs and eliminate waste and abuse in State health programs. The bill will enable the State to recover damages and penalties from individuals who defraud the State by filing false claims against State health plans and programs.
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