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Post by concerned on Oct 12, 2009 9:04:17 GMT -5
Received a letter a couple of days ago and because the C.O.L.A. is down for this year the amount of money in food stamps that a person or family receives is going to be cut back. All this along with no C.O.L.A. increase in Social Security Checks. I am also waiting to find out how much my Medicaid Spend Down will increase for next year. I am expecting it to be way over $200./month. My rent went way up because of the 5.8% increase in Social Security last year. I heard that even though we will not be receiving a increase in Social Security for the next two years that the amount of money we pay for Part B Medicare may increase. Apparently the Federal Government has to give a COLA increase each year and it against the law to reduce the amount of money a person on Social Security receives. To get around this the Fed's are going to increase Part B contribution. I wrote Senator Hildebrand about this and she told me that those who are dual eligible, that is- receive Medicare and Medicaid will not be affected by the increase in Part B. The problem is that New York State pay my Part B and that the Medicaid coverage I receive I have to pay for which is going up. I worry .
Here is something else. For those of us who are in Federal sponsored Senior housing Apartments like I live in we pay our own electric---I don't worry about that I don't put my heat above 55 degree's--- the amount of adjustment in our rent for help in paying for our electric bill is decreasing by $75.00 which means our rent goes up that much. They justify this because they put in three of those new light bulb's in each apartment and the refrigerator we have is energy efficient---they are 8 years old. Those people who are using medical equipment that consumer's more energy, thus increasing there electric bill can have a review but there are new stricter limits. And for those who have to have constant air conditioning in the summer because of berating problems cannot use that as an excuse for an energy consumption adjustment. lol
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Post by chris on Oct 12, 2009 11:11:07 GMT -5
Concerned I'm not sure about Federal but I hear that things will be worse for NYS in 2010. (I have famly and friends that work for the state in Albany and they were told so) I have to pay only for my AC extra so I imagine that will be going up with the electricity and if RGE gets there requests approved I'm sure it will go up even more.
What I want to know is why do we have to do all the cutting back and supporting of the majority when the people who make these laws just approve themselves for pay increases and do not have to worry about healthcare as they are taken care of for life. Maybe its time Americans try to do something about that. Who wrote these laws that said when you leave a job you will be still paid for the rest of your lives at tax payers expence. Presidents, senators, congressman...........they love to tell us what to do but rules don't apply to them and they should. Maybe I should look into running for office.
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Post by dgriffin on Oct 12, 2009 20:49:28 GMT -5
Who wrote these laws that said when you leave a job you will be still paid for the rest of your lives at tax payers expence. Presidents, senators, congressman...........they love to tell us what to do but rules don't apply to them and they should. It isn't just presidents, senators and congressmen. If you include in the category "paid for life" inordinate pensions and free healthcare for life, you can include most school district superintendents and many local politicians. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2009 4:57:52 GMT -5
The U.S. is for all intents & purposes, bankrupt. The cuts we are seeing now are only the tip of the iceberg. We ain't seen nothing yet.
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Post by chris on Oct 20, 2009 8:20:05 GMT -5
If they changed their wasteful ways, quit throwing monies out the window, cut back on their own spending...........maybe there would be more money in the piggy bank.
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Post by concerned on Oct 20, 2009 8:31:41 GMT -5
In todays New York Times it was announced that Medicare Premiums for Part B is going up 15% Next Year .WASHINGTON — The basic Medicare premium will shoot up next year by 15 percent, to $110.50 a month, federal officials said Monday.
About 12 million people, or 27 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, will have to pay higher premiums or have the additional amounts paid on their behalf. The other 73 percent will be shielded from the increase because, under federal law, their Medicare premiums cannot go up more than the increase in their Social Security benefits, and Social Security officials announced last week that there would be no increase in benefits in 2010 because inflation had been extremely low.
Among those who face higher premiums next year are new Medicare beneficiaries, high-income people and those whose Medicare premiums are paid by Medicaid. Premiums can be as high as $353.60 a month, or more than $4,200 a year, for Medicare beneficiaries who file tax returns with adjusted gross income greater than $214,000 for an individual or $428,000 for a couple.
When I emailed Our Rep in the House and our two senators about this they said that Congress was working on this so that there would not be an increase and I was told it would only impact high income people. According to this artical it will also impact those who have there premium paid for by Medicaid. That's the part I have been arguing about with our Rep's in Congress. Apparently there is some backroom politica going on to find out how Social Security Checks can be REDUCED on those who have to pay the increase in the Part B Primium. This is illegal. It goes back to a Law in 1975 that stated if the COLA was flat money cannot be deducted from Social Security Chreck even if Health Premiums go up. Something tell me that we are going to be screwed. The only person that did not respond to my emails is Shumer. ANd he will be receiving some more emails from me until he responds.
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Post by chris on Oct 20, 2009 13:31:08 GMT -5
That is cause Shumer is a big Obama fan and is pushing for his health care program and if passed we all will be screwed. You think you got it bad now wait and see just how well off you'll be then should it get passed.
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Post by snickers on Oct 26, 2009 10:09:05 GMT -5
Perhaps they are putting the screws to us with a purpose. Once we submit, all will be well.
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