The $500 Billion Dollar Elephant Is Still in Room by Thair Phillips, President, Retiresafe It Stinks
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page 2 ..................Opinion Glaucoma Awareness Month page 14................Senior Safety page 4 ..........................Weird News page 15............SRDA Menu page 5..................Health Happy New Year 2010!! page 16.............Finances page 7...............Social Security & You page 18...............Senior Classifieds page 23............Light for the Journey Peace And Joy For 2010 page 22..............Fremont/Custer Menu SB SeniorIF YOU ARE 50 OR OLDER YOUBeacon SHOULD READ IT!! JAN., 2010 Vol. 28: No. 6 Established Aug., 1982 330 Consecutive Months! The $500 Billion Dollar Elephant Is Still In Room by Thair Phillips, president, RetireSafe it stinks. rather than all of these other amendments fight. We cannot stand by and watch a It appears that the Senate will Agreeing to remove the plan that are included to buy votes. The Con- bill that will destroy a program that older take two positive steps in their march to- to expand Medicare to those age 55 gressional Democrats Americans rely on to be ward health care reform. While nothing through 64 is not a concession. It was and the administra- passed without our op- is in writing, the rumors indicate that the an ill-conceived attempt to buy votes in tion have set a seem- position to the Medicare expansion of Medicare to those age 55 up the first place. It was conjured up in the ingly arbitrary dead- cuts. The Chairman of to and through age 64 will be removed back rooms of the Democratic caucus, line of having a health the Board of RetireSafe, from what will be the final Senate bill. and we can’t be expected to celebrate the care reform bill to the despite the predictions Majority leader Reid has indicated that removal of an idea that shouldn’t have President by Christ- that the cuts to Medicare they are working on a way to close the been considered viable in the first place. mas. This deadline would be included in gap in Medicare Part D coverage, often While the pledge to close the donut hole is not arbitrary at all. the final bill, looked me referred to as the donut hole. We applaud completely is a positive step, why is it be- They know that if this bill doesn’t get fin- in the eye and said that we can’t give these two steps but warn that the biggest ing done now, at the eleventh hour? Is it ished by then, and the Members of Con- up the fight. step still needs to be taken, the step to re- being proposed only to buy votes? gress go back to their home states, they We will not give up the fight. move almost $500 billion worth of cuts to This option should have been will finally be forced to listen to common Call both of your Senators now and tell Medicare. considered at the very beginning of this sense Americans who will be affected them that they should focus on getting While some might think that debate. When the pharmaceutical com- by this bill. A new CNN poll found that this right, not just getting it right now. these two positive steps would divert our panies made a pledge to pitch in to pay 61% of Americans don’t think the health Coming up with hair brained ideas in the attention, we are here to tell everyone that half of the donut hole, Congress should care reform bill, as it stands right now, back rooms of Congress, ideas that will the 500 billion pound (dollar) elephant have followed their lead and included leg- should be passed. The Democrats and have decades of impact on almost every is still in the room. It’s sitting right in islation to close the gap completely right the Administration know that when Con- American, especially seniors, is not the front of us, and no amount of effort to get then. If Congress was really concerned gress hears from their constituents, they way Congress should work. Important us to focus on another ring in this three with older Americans, they should have just might come to their senses. We need decisions should be given the time equal ring circus will keep us from shouting as made this move as a first step rather than somehow to delay this runaway big gov- to their importance. Tell them you want loud as we can that Medicare is in dan- a last ditch effort to buy votes. So far all ernment, deficit building, Medicare cut- them to slow down, and tell them that ger if these cuts are allowed to become I’ve heard is Senator Reid suddenly see- ting freight train long enough to let our you want them to keep fighting for health law. Senator Reid can bring in his finan- ing the light and pledging to close the do- Members of Congress can get out of the care reform done the right way -- with- cial jugglers and try to convince us that nut hole completely, no mention that the hypnotic clutches of Washington D.C. out cutting Medicare. Tell them you are they are making Medicare stronger, but pharmaceutical companies will be paying and back to the mind clearing common watching their votes and to not forget that our common sense tells us different. You half. Politics has once again trumped sense of real America. They need one you vote too! Visit our website and peti- can’t take almost half a trillion dollars out good legislation that should have been more opportunity to talk with America’s tion congress for your Medicare rights or of Medicare and make it stronger. Some done months ago. seniors, who are quite aware of that 500 to provide your input on our health care might be able to close their eyes to this The focus of the discussion billion dollar elephant in the health care reform survey. For more information visit huge elephant in the room but even with should be centered on how to reform reform room. www.retiresafe.org your eyes closed you can still smell it and health care without cutting Medicare RetireSafe has not given up the Saving On Heating Costs This Winter Barely Costs A Dime by Eileen Doherty gram that provides cash assistance to days of sunshine, so on sunny winter $30. SAVING ON HEATING COSTS THIS help families and individuals pay winter days, make sure to open blinds, drapes • Install a programmable thermo- WINTER BARELY COSTS home heating costs. The program pays or curtains to let the sun help heat your stat. A programmable thermostat will help A DIME: HOW FAMILIES CAN the highest benefits to those with the home. Close them at night to keep the save money and keep your home comfort- SAVE MONEY WITH A FEW highest heating bills and lowest incomes warm air in and cool air out. able by automatically adjusting your tem- SIMPLE TIPS by family size. Applicant income cannot • Adjust the temperature on your perature settings, saving you about $100 DENVER – December 2009 – exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty hot water heater. Water heating typically per year. Look for the Energy Star logo. During the holiday season, many families index, which equals a maximum income accounts for 14 percent of your energy Cost $20–$40. face the added expense of presents, fes- of $3,400.00 per month before taxes for a bill. Try to keep the temperature at 120 Sometimes, these minor changes tivities and a noticeable increase in their household of four people. degrees or lower. to a home’s energy efficiency are not monthly heating bill. While the holiday “Many people think that to lower • Reduce your use of appliances. enough, and costly repairs are needed to season is to be enjoyed, rising bills are their heating bills, they will have to signif- Lighting, cooking and using other appli- properly keep a family warm. When this never fun and can be avoided with some icantly change their lifestyle,” said Todd ances account for about 30 percent of a is the case, LEAP eligible households smart changes. Whether a family lives in Jorgensen, director of LEAP. “Instead, home’s heating bill. Turn off lights as may also qualify for the Crisis Invention a house or apartment, just a few minor if a family makes a few minor changes you leave rooms, microwave foods rather Program [CIP] and the Governor’s Energy alterations can increase energy efficiency to their daily habits and is conscious of than using the over and wash only full Office’s Weatherization Program. The and significantly lower energy bills. For energy efficiency, they will save a signifi- dishwasher loads. CIP operates year-round and provides example, according to Energy Outreach cant amount of money each month. Low Cost: assistance with a home’s primary heating Colorado, a family can save three per- According to Energy Outreach • Seal leaks and cracks, espe- source such as a furnace or wood-burn- cent on their energy bill by turning their Colorado, the following are some no and cially around windows and doors. Poorly ing stove. The Weatherization Program thermostat down just one degree. This low cost ways to save money on home sealed homes allow conditioned air to improves the energy efficiency in homes winter, Colorado’s Low-income Energy heating bills this winter. escape through the gaps. Caulking and throughout Colorado, permanently reduc- Assistance Program (LEAP) would like No cost: weather-stripping reduce uncomfortable ing heating costs. families to know that they have the power • Let the sun heat help heat your drafts and high utility bills. Cost $10- LEAP is currently accepting to lower their home heating bills.