MARYLAND/DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS PROJECTS
Campaign to Influence Super Committe
Support efforts to influence the Super Committee to protect the programs that retirees and seniors need to have a decent retirement that they deserve.Go to the ARA Website at: www.retiredamericans.org to get more information and ways to voice your opinion, such as signing petitions. Support Campaigns to Get Americans Back to Decent Work and Save the Middle Class
United We Will Win Campaign Join a MD/DC ARA Campaign to preserve and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, expand Older Adults Programs and promote quality and affordable health care for all. Help Get Quality and Affordable Health Care for All in Maryland Join us in our advocacy activities with the Maryland and Washington D.C. Chapters of Health Care for America Now Campaign, a national grassroots campaign organizing millions of Americans to win a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. It is composed of progressive organizations that bring together seniors, medical personnel, faith-based groups, and community groups to find bold new solutions.One of these is to regulate insurance companies' companies to prohibit them from overcharging, setting high deductibles, and continuing to drop coverage when you get sick. Turn Around America- Health Care Support the AFL-CIO’s national campaign to fix America’s Broken Health Care System. We’ll do that by mobilizing and educating our members, building key alliances with businesses and progressive groups and educating legislators on health care reform.The AFL-CIO movement is fighting for a unique American plan for secure, high-quality health care for all that: - Builds on what’s best about American health care - Controls costs -Makes sure everyone gets high-quality health care as good as or better than they have now -Covers preventive care -Lets people choose their own doctors and other providers -Makes Government a watchdog on costs, quality and fairness and offers the choice of a public alternative to private insurance -Divides responsibility among employers, government and individuals. For additional information, see: www.aflcio.org/issues/healthcare. This page also has items of current interest to retirees and seniors. Learn what action you can take.
2011 CAMPAIGN FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR RETIREES & FAMILIES
INFORM VOTEINFLUENCEINFORM OTHERS ON DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS’ PROGRESS PATIENT PROTECTION and AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT 2010 U.S. Health Care Reform- the largest overhaul of America’s health care system since the 1960’s Good for America’s Seniors and Retirees Cracks Down on the Worst Insurance Company Abuses -- Insurers can’t deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition or drop people. -- Insurers will have to justify premium raises and use more of premium dollars on actual medical care and quality assurance, not on high salaries and administrative costs. -- Insurance companies will have to compete to drive down costs, guarantee choice, and put consumers in control. -- Insurers will no longer be able to put yearly or lifetime limits on how much they will pay. -- Health care reform savings will reduce the federal deficit in the next 10 years. By eliminating wasteful overpayments and fraud, the solvency of Medicare will be extended for several years. Delivers Quality and Affordable Care -- Everyone will be able to keep the primary care doctor they choose. -- By 2011 seniors and disabled on Medicare will receive annual checkups, mammograms and other screenings for cancer and diabetes — at no charge, no co-payments needed. -- Prescription drugs will become more affordable by eliminating the Medicare Part D “donut hole” coverage gap by 2020. In 2010, Medicare recipients receive $250 when they reach the gap. By 2011, they will receive discounts on prescriptions filled. -- Research- Based Medicine will be used to help doctors identify the appropriate drugs/treatment(s) for various illnesses and types of patients. -- Beginning in 2011, consumers will have more information about nursing home inspections and complaints enabling them to make better selections.-- -- States will be able to receive more funds to expand home- and community-based services for the frail elderly. Avoid using the term “ObamaCare” which many opponents use to discredit this law with misinformation about it. This legislation, passed by a Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Obama, provides a good start to remedy the current broken U.S. health care system. The law has so many good services to mention so get more information from: www.retiredamericans.org under issues-health; also: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/introduction/index.html.
SOCIAL SECURITY \ Democratic Administrations want to preserve the principles on which Social Security was founded - not to privatize or weaken it. Now’s the time to tell your friends and neighbors: “Don’t believe the misinformation. ” Social Security is a family insurance program funded directly by payroll contributions divided equally between workers and their employers. It provides needed income for more than 53 million Americans, including retirees, disabled persons and children. Without this program at least 44 percent of those age 65 and over would live below the poverty line.Today in our troubled economy, support for Social Security continues to grow, with large majorities of Americans (about 88%) saying that Social Security is more important than ever. Social Security has not added a single cent to the federal budget deficit and has never missed a payment to beneficiaries. As such, it has its own dedicated source of revenue and is on schedule to deliver full, guaranteed benefits until at least 2037. Even after 2037, without amendment, the program can continue to pay more than 75% of promised benefits through 2083. Its long-term solvency can be resolved by relatively modest adjustments and without cutting benefits. For example, if all earned income above $106,800 annually were subject to Social Security contributions but did not count toward benefits, Social Security’s projected long-term deficit would be completely eliminated. Not a good idea to increase the retirement age to 70. For more information: see: www.ncpssm.org andwww.retiredamericans.org in the section under issues and Social Security Administration at: http://www.ssa.gov
VOTE AND GET OTHERS TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
To gain background on candidates, consult with your union and the Alliance for Retired Americans’ checklist on Congressional representatives voting records. See: www.retiredamericans.org in the section on issues. INFLUENCE THE CANDIDATES AND THE PUBLIC Here’s some ways: 1.Write letters to the editor of local papers 2.Attend candidates meetings, briefings and rallies and ask where the candidate(s) stands on: -- Future of Social Security and Medicare -- Health Care Reform -- Labor Union Matters -- How to solve local and national budget deficits 3.Provide background information to your officials and other community groups 4.Volunteer in campaigns and phone banks.