Social Security

Notch
The Senior Citizens League members and supporters tend to be older, less affluent seniors. They are also, to a large extent, Notch babies - those individuals who receive lower Social Security benefits because they were born in the years 1917 and immediately thereafter. TSCL feels that this is an inequity that was brought about because of the Social Security Act Amendments enacted and signed into law in 1977. Just years before they were set to retire, these individuals discovered they would have significantly lower benefits than originally anticipated. And the problem only grew and compounded with the inflation that occurred in the early 1980s. Thus, in order to make the Social Security program more equitable in general, and to correct a wrong done to Notch babies, we believe that some recompense for that injustice should be provided.
TSCL strongly supported legislation introduced in the 109th Congress that would have provided either a lump-sum payment or an increased monthly benefit calculation to Notch babies. We were pleased to see that Congressman Ralph HallТs legislation, H.R. 615, got 118 co-sponsors in the last session - more than in any other session of Congress since the lump-sum proposal has been before Congress. We will continue to educate new Members of the House and Senate about the Notch and to work with past supporters of the Notch. With an increasing number of Notch co-sponsors during each of the last three sessions of Congress, we are hopeful that some type of Notch reform will take place in the 110th Congress.

Stimulus Package

Q: I normally don't need to file a tax return. How do I know if I'm one of those people who may be eligible to receive an economic stimulus payment?A: This group includes some recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement or veterans' benefits as well as taxpayers who do not make enough money to normally have to file a 2007 tax return. For example, this can include low-income workers, those who receive Social Security benefits or veterans’ disability compensation, pension or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007. These people will be eligible to receive a payment of $300 ($600 on a joint return) if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income.Qualifying income includes Social Security benefits, certain Railroad Retirement benefits, certain veterans’ benefits and earned income, such as income from wages, salaries, tips and self-employment. For people filing joint tax returns, only a total of $3,000 of qualifying income from both spouses is required to be eligible for a payment.




Special Guidelines for Recipients of Certain Social Security, Veterans and Railroad BenefitsCertain people who normally are not required to file but who are eligible for the stimulus payment will have to file a 2007 tax return. This includes low-income workers or those who receive Social Security benefits or veterans’ disability compensation, pension or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007. These taxpayers will be eligible to receive a payment of $300 ($600 on a joint return) if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income.Qualifying income includes Social Security benefits, certain Railroad Retirement benefits, certain veterans’ benefits and earned income, such as income from wages, salaries, tips and self-employment. For taxpayers filing joint tax returns, only a total of $3,000 of qualifying income from both spouses is required to be eligible for a payment.The special version of the Form 1040A unveiled today on IRS.gov shows taxpayers in these groups the specific sections of the form they need to fill out to qualify for the stimulus payment. The mock-up is designed to be used as a guide for filling out an actual Form 1040A."People who don’t normally need to file have a roadmap on how to fill out the Form 1040A quickly and easily," Stiff said. "We encourage recipients of Social Security and veterans’ benefits who don’t normally need to file a tax return to use this mock-up of the form as a guide to help them get their stimulus payment."The Form 1040A illustration on IRS.gov shows the limited number of lines that will need to be filled out for recipients of Social Security, certain Railroad Retirement and certain veterans’ benefits. A key line is reporting their 2007 benefits on Line 14a of Form 1040A. The IRS reminds taxpayers they can also use Line 20a on Form 1040 to report these same benefits.In addition, taxpayers in these groups should write the words "Stimulus Payment" at the top of the 1040A or 1040.For now, taxpayers in this group filing a tax return can only file a paper copy of the Form 1040 or Form 1040A. The IRS is working to update its systems to accept electronic versions of these limited-information returns for taxpayers who otherwise have no need to file a tax return. The IRS is also working with the software community to handle these returns electronically at a future date.The IRS also reminded taxpayers with Social Security, Railroad Retirement or veterans’ benefits who have already filed but did not report their qualifying benefits on either Line 14a of Form 1040A or Line 20a of Form 1040 that they may need to file an amended return in some situations to receive a larger stimulus payment.Taxpayers who already have filed but did not report these benefits can file an amended return by using Form 1040X, which can only be filed with a paper form.The IRS reminded taxpayers who don’t have any other requirement to file a tax return that submitting a tax return to qualify for the economic stimulus payments does not create any additional tax or trigger a tax bill. In addition, the stimulus payments will not have any effect on eligibility for federal benefits.The IRS is working with the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs and other organizations to ensure that recipients are aware of the need to file a tax return to receive their stimulus payment in 2008.

File 1040 A stimulas package

On Wednesday President Bush signed into law H.R. 5140, the economic stimulus package. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said that rebate checks could be in the mail as early as May. Individuals will receive $600, couples will receive $1200, and an additional $300 will be given for each child under 17. Individuals and couples earning over $75,000 and $150,000, respectively, will have their eligibility phased out. Individuals who earn $3,000, receive Social Security or are disabled veterans will receive $300.

MASS SENIOR ACTION COUNCIL METRO NORTH CHAPTER

fOR TRANPORTATION CALL PAM 781 864 2596

ATTENTION VERY BIG NEWS February 27,2008 1:oo PM
Community Room 557 Pleasant Street Malden Ma
INFORMATION MEETING LONG TERM CARE Do you want your care
to be in a nursing home or your home.
Find out how to get the care you want!!!
17 Minute Halth Care DVD What is Single Payer? Who is against it? is it bad?
Would it make America's health care better? Get information before you see the movie "SICKO"
MSAC SPONSORS "SICKO" THE MOVIE MARCH 24 1:00PM MALDEN SENIOR CENTER

EVERY ONE IS INVITED TO OUR MEETINGS AND SPONSORED EVENTS

America Seniors Deserve Better Health Care

PUSH CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION
LOWER RX COSTS We need to legalize the importation of safe less expensive presciption drug from other countries. Also, Medicare should be allowed to negotiate lower drug prices with manufacturers. Under Current law, even though large employers can negotiate prices for their employees, Medicare is barred from doing the same. This must be stopped.
MODERNIZE THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: Technology can be used to improve the quality of health care we receive and lower costs. Health care information should be standardized and readily available to your health care professionals. For example, emergency rooms should be able to wuickly access your medical records from all your physicians. Technology can be to reduce administrative costs and better inform the patient. Also, health care professionals and institutions that provide the best care most efficiently should be rewarded--we must stop subsidizing and encouraging the least efficient and least effective care.
IMPROVE PATIENT CARE: Medical errors can be reduced by improving and standardizing technology would improve patient care and reduce costs. We also believe that more preventative services are needed.. Patient care is more than caring for you when you are sick. It is also about keeping you from getting ill in the first place.
PROVIDE BETTER OPTIONS FOR LONG-TERM CARE: There are too few long-term care options. As a nation we must help people plan for and receeive long-term care is a setting that works best for them. including home based care. Family caregivers also need relief, such as through tax credits. More and better options for financing long term care should be available.
PUSH CONGRESS TO ENACT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA'S SENIORS.

Universal Health needed

The private insurance system's main techniques for holding down costs are practicing risk selection, limiting the services covered, constraining payments to providers, and shifting costs to patients। But given the system's fragmentation and perverse incentives, much cost-effective care is squeezed out, resources are increasingly allocated in response to profit opportunities rather than medical need, many attainable efficiencies are not achieved, unnecessary medical care is provided for profit, administrative expenses are high, and enormous sums are squandered in efforts to game the system। The result is a blend of overtreatment and undertreatment — and escalating costs।

अस्सिस्तेद LIVING

Assisted Living Program Overview

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The Office of Elder Affairs certifies Assisted Living Residences in Massachusetts and offers the Assisted Living Ombudsman Program to provide advocacy, information and complaint resolution to consumers.
One of the most rapidly growing forms of residential long-term care in Massachusetts is Assisted Living. Assisted Living Residences (ALRs) offer a combination of housing, meals and personal care services to adults on a rental basis. Assisted living residences are not the same as licensed nursing facilities; ALRs do not provide medical or nursing services. They are not designed for people who need serious medical care.

Instead, assisted living is intended for adults who may need some help with activities such as housecleaning, meals, bathing, dressing and/or medication reminders and who would like the security of having assistance available on a 24 hour basis in a residential and non-institutional environment. The underlying philosophy of assisted living is based on providing needed services to residents in a way that enhances their autonomy, privacy and individuality. Residents have the right to make choices in all aspects of their lives.

PROPOSED MEDICARE CUTS WILL HARM HOPITALS WHILE HELPING INSURANCE INDUSTRY

Medical News Today Fri, 01 Feb 2008 3:14 AM PST
President Bush's budget proposal, expected to be made public on Monday, will call for cuts to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, ambulance services, and home care agencies.According to Judith Stein, executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, "These cuts will ultimately harm seniors, disabled people, and anyone who needs hospital care.