Message from Hector Saenz, President, IBM ~ Kyndryl Retirees Chapter You may have read previous messages to IBM retirees that your IBM / Kyndryl Chapter and the National Retirees Legislative Network (NRLN) launched an investigation in January into whether there was an injustice to IBM retirees when IBM changed its healthcare benefit. This resulted in retirees only able to apply …
It is no surprise to anyone that the Social Security and Medicare programs face significant challenges meeting their obligations to the nation’s seniors. The Trustees Report for 2024 was just released and starting in 2034, beneficiaries will only receive 79% of their earned benefits. Don’t expect Congress to address this mess this year since it is an election year, but …
Twenty-three NRLN members know that Social Security overpayment clawback can happen to anyone – because it happened to them. On March 11, 2024, the NRLN sent an email to all members requesting that anyone who has had to payback money to Social Security participate in the NRLN’s brief survey. The purpose of the survey was to support the NRLN’s efforts to …
The Choose Medicare Act (H.R.8207 and S.4231) was introduced on June 1. If enacted the legislation would cap Medicare enrollees’ out-of-pocket costs at $6,700 per year starting in 2026. The bill would also create a Medicare Part E plan open to people of any age. On February 1, 2017, the NRLN published a whitepaper: Medicare Out-of-Pocket Health Cost Limits – The …
Joe Sciulli, President, Lucent/Nokia Retirees ChapterLucent/Nokia Retirees Chapter Has a Long History with NRLN by Joe Sciulli, President, Lucent/Nokia Retirees ChapterThe Lucent Retirees Organization (LRO) was formed in January 2003 for retirees from Lucent Technologies which was a spinoff of Western Electric/AT&T Network Systems and Bell Labs. Soon after the formation of LRO it joined the National Retirees Legislative Network (NRLN). …
Funds for Medicare Advantage Part C benefits are drawn from the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund (accounting for 48% of total spending on Medicare Part A benefits in 2023). Funds for Part B and Part D (outpatient prescription drugs) benefits are drawn from the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) trust fund. Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans pay the Part B …
The Medicare Trustees’ 2024 report noted, the Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund is adequately financed into the indefinite future because, unlike the other trust funds, its main financing sources — enrolled beneficiary premiums and the federal contributions from the Treasury — are automatically adjusted each year to cover costs for the upcoming year. Although the financing is assured, the …
The Medicare Trustees’ 2024 report stated that the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2036, five years later than reported last year. At that point, that fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program income will be sufficient to pay 89 percent of total scheduled benefits.The HI Trust Fund …
Vern Larson, Avaya Retirees Chapter PresidentAvaya, a corporate telecommunications company, was created on October 2, 2000, as a spin-off from Lucent Technologies. The NRLN Avaya Retirees Chapter was formed in April 2016 because retirees were concerned that their pension plan was underfunded by 30 percent. On Jan.19, 2017, Avaya filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the first of two times. The bankruptcy …
June 18, 2024The Honorable Xaiver Becerra, Secretary Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201Dear Secretary Becerra:After you read the attached June 15 article about Dan Lispi who is battling cancer and Anthem, his Medicare Advantage (MA) insurance company, I urge you to agree that Anthem deserves 0 Stars instead of its average Star rating from CMS …
