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NYSARA Activists Hold Congressional Representatives Feet to the Fire on Federal Trust Act On October 31, 2019, Senator Romney introduced the TRUST Act, which would create rescue committees to review and with the Social Security, Medicare and Highway Trust Funds and make recommendations to change the programs. While the authors claim that the "rescue committees" are to improve the solvency of the programs, the TRUST Act does not place limits on what can be considered and how solvency would be determined. All options would be on the table, including benefit cuts to current and future Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries. Further, the legislation creates a fast track process to make changes to the program. https://kslnewsradio.com/1918528/senator-romney-rallies-support-for-the-trust-act/ https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/478929-the-trust-act-is-a-plot-to-gut-social-security- behind-closed On January 28, 2020, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing entitled, "Examining the Root Causes of America's Unsustainable Fiscal Path", all the witnesses discussed the deficit, Social Security and Medicare. There was virtually no discussion of the Highway Trust Fund. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/examining-the-root-causes-of-americas-unsustainable-fiscal-path On June 1, 2020, a bipartisan group of Representatives, that included New York Representatives Anthony Brindisi (D/CD #22), Tom Reed (R/CD #23) and Kathleen Rice (D/CD #4) sent a letter to House leadership expressing concern for the growing deficit and requesting that the House include the TRUST Act in the next coronavirus relief bill. https://scottpeters.house.gov/sites/scottpeters.house.gov/files/6.1.20 Leadership Budget Reforms.pdf. NYSARA had a problem with these Representatives signing on in support of the Trust act. Our NYSARA activists took the offensive by contacting Representatives Rice and Brindisi and our activists in the southern tier will be contacting Representative Reed. Activist Carole Gehrig has contacted Representative Brindisi's office and Activists Barbara Haffner and Marge Harrison, from Long Island, contacted Representative Rices office and got the following response: Thanks for reaching out with your concerns over the TRUST Act and protecting Social Security. Kathleen is with you. She has a strong record of opposing cuts to Social Security and is an original cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act, which would increase benefits. Keeping that in mind, she is also concerned about the solvency of the Social Security program. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and the economic recession triggered by the crisis, the payroll tax revenues that finance the trust fund are declining. The crisis has also impacted trust funds for Disability Insurance, Medicare Hospital Insurance, and Highway programs. Some economists and policy analysts have predicted this means trust funds could be depleted in fifteen years. That is why Kathleen joined 59 other members of Congress in expressing her concern over this issue. That letter, which discussed the importance of solvency for all trust funds, discussed the Time to Rescue United States Trusts (TRUST) Act, which is a bill in the Senate that would create special bipartisan, bicameral rescue committees to give these programs the priority and urgency they deserve. The TRUST Act does not prescribe any policy changes. It allows Members to debate and discuss any combination of revenue and benefit changes they prefer. This could include benefit expansions. The TRUST Act also requires broad bipartisan consensus: any solution must have support from the majority of the commission – including two members from each political party – and then must be passed by the House and Senate and signed by the President. I hope this clears up any confusion about Congresswoman Rice’s record of supporting social security and increasing benefits. I’d be happy to discuss over the phone when you have some free time. To which this reply was sent: Thanks for your response. I appreciate that Representative Rice's support for Social Security, including her support for benefit expansion. That said, I did want to respond to your email on the TRUST Act. While the TRUST Act would create a bipartisan committee, it would not provide any protections to ensure that beneficiaries' benefits are not cut. In fact, everything would be on the table. And the legislation would be fast tracked through the process, including in the Senate where all it would need is a majority vote of 51 rather than the 60 votes normally required for budget votes. The NYS Alliance for Retired Americans and its 500,000 members does not support commissions or in this case "rescue committees" to make changes to Social Security. We believe any changes should go through regular order and have extensive hearings, including public input as obviously do all but two of your house colleagues from New York State. We are also concerned that the impetus behind the TRUST Act is deficit reduction, and it is squarely focused on Social Security and Medicare. If you review the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on January 28, all the witnesses focused on Social Security and Medicare and there was virtually no discussion on the highway trust fund. Also, it is important to note that Social Security does not contribute to the deficit. It is entirely funded through payroll taxes. While the CARES Act did suspend the payroll tax for employers this year, the trust fund was kept whole through general revenues transfers, and employers are required to pay the treasury back next year and in 2022. Finally, while it is too early to tell how the coronavirus will impact the Social Security trust funds, there was good news on the disability front in this year's trustees report. The trustees reported that the Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be funded through 2065, 13 years later than last year's report. Further, in 2065, the trust fund will still be able to pay 92% of scheduled benefits. NYSARA asks that activists from the 4th, 22nd and 23rd Congressional Districts of New York contact their house representative. When you have made contact let NYSARA know what you said/wrote and what response you receive. Send this information to [email protected]. IMPORTANT UPCOMING ANNIVERSARY EVENTS OF IMPORTANCE TO SENIOR'S We’re coming up on that time of year again: the anniversaries of (in chronological order) the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (July 26, 30th anniversary), Medicare and Medicaid (July 30, 55th anniversary), and Social Security (Aug. 14, 85th anniversary) Avoiding Scams in NYS From the NYS Department of Financial Services Coronavirus (COVID-19) Related Scams The Department is aware of a surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) scams using social media and websites, emails and texts. Specific examples of the types of scams, fraud, and abuse of which the Department has become aware include the following: Healthcare enrollment scams: Scammers are impersonating insurance companies, agents, or brokers through robocalls or mass emails attempting to sell bogus insurance plans meant to cover the costs of coronavirus-related illness. Deceptive marketing schemes: Scammers are offering financial products or services that falsely suggest government relief for individuals or small businesses, or seek payments or donations impersonating government agencies or international organizations. Phishing and other cybercrime: Scammers may register fake coronavirus-related websites for the purpose of phishing or infecting users with malware or ransomware that requires bitcoin or other cryptocurrency to unlock, or send mass emails seeking bogus donations or payments in cryptocurrency. Product fraud: Fake companies and websites are claiming to sell, and collecting payment for, medical supplies or other high-demand goods (e.g., N95 facemasks), but never delivering supplies, or companies are selling unapproved or misbranded products that make false health claims relating to COVID-19. Foreclosure rescue scams: Scammers promise to “rescue” a homeowner, but actually run scams designed to strip a property’s built-up equity or to steal the title outright. They market their services by plastering signs and posters on telephone poles and bus stops or contact homeowners directly by phone, email or by leaving a flyer at the door. Protect Yourself Stay informed by visiting the official websites of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and this website’s coronavirus information section. At this time there is currently no FDA-approved vaccine to prevent the virus. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have issued alerts warning consumers and investors of misbranded products alleging to help stop the coronavirus outbreak. Never do business with anyone who calls you, mails you, or knocks on your door with offers to help fix a foreclosure or default. Do not respond to advertisements and fliers making similar offers. If you are experiencing mortgage-related hardship visit our coronavirus section section to learn what steps to take. Learn more about these and other types of common scams in our common scams, schemes and frauds section. Questions and Complaints If you have received a call, email or letter from DFS and want to make sure it is legitimate, call our Consumer Hotline at (800) 342-3736 or email [email protected]. To file a complaint about a scam involving a financial product or service, use the DFS Consumer Complaint Portal. Dear Marci, From our Friends at the Medicare Rights Center What should I do if I am new to Medicare? Dear Marci, I will be eligible for Medicare soon and may need to enroll. What steps should I take to make sure that I have coverage that works for me? -Thelma (Atlanta, GA) Dear Thelma, There are several steps you’ll want to take when you’re new to Medicare: First, know when to enroll in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance).

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