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Friday Alert April 11, 2008
Alliance for Retired Americans
888 16th Street, N.W. - Washington DC, 20006 - (202)
974-8222 - www.retiredamericans.or
Tax Filing Deadline Has Added
Significance for Retirees This Year
Tuesday,
April 15th is the regular deadline for filing taxes, and the
date holds special implications for seniors in 2008. Up to
20 million Americans who rely primarily on Social Security
income qualify for an economic stimulus rebate check from the
federal government. Even seniors who do not earn income
through current employment can qualify for a stimulus check, if
their Social Security benefits, Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits,
and railroad retirement benefits totaled at least $3,000 in
2007. In most cases, retirees will receive an economic
stimulus check ranging from $300 to $600. Seniors need to
file a 2007 federal tax return on IRS Form 1040 or 1040A (short
form) to receive the check. Seniors must file a 2007 tax
return even if their income is normally low enough that they
were not required to file in previous years. Those filing
later than April 15, with or without a tax-filing extension, may
delay receipt of the rebate check. Those who qualify for a
stimulus check will receive one by the end of 2008, as long as
they file by October 15, 2008 - but no rebate checks will be
issued after 2008. “For years, Alliance members have
been instrumental in spreading the word to fellow retirees about
key pocketbook issues,” said George J.
Kourpias, President of the Alliance.
“Please keep that up by telling your friends and neighbors
about filing a tax return to get the stimulus rebate.”
Embarq Takes Aim at Current
Retirees; 3M Corp. Targets Future Retirees
S&P 500 firm Embarq Corp., headquartered
in Overland Park, Kansas, recently joined the list of firms that
have taken away retiree benefits. Embarq, with
approximately 18,000 employees in 18 states, started as the
local telephone unit of Sprint Nextel Corp. and has been on its
own since spinning off in 2006. As of January 1, 2008, the
company is no longer offering Medical coverage for
Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents, nor is it providing a
monthly subsidy for Medicare premiums. Ten former
telephone company employees have filed a class-action lawsuit
seeking to have the benefits restored. Last week, St.
Paul, Minnesota-based technological company 3M Corp. announced
that it is no longer offering new workers its defined-benefit
pension programs, which provide a set benefit each month to
retired employees. Other corporate giants that in recent
years have announced phase-outs of defined benefit plans include
Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., and Lockheed-Martin Corp.
“An injury to one retiree is an injury to all,” said
Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the
Alliance. “It is unfair to take away the benefits
for retirees that were earned and paid for while they were
active workers.”
Legislation Introduced to
Block Cuts in Medicaid Services
On Wednesday,
the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health unanimously
passed a bill (H.R. 5613) to postpone seven new Medicaid rules
proposed by the Bush administration. The rules would have
shifted billions of dollars in costs from the federal government
to the states and reduced health care for poor nursing home
residents and others receiving aid. Introduced by
committee Chairman John D. Dingell (D-MI), the
legislation blocks regulations criticized as being “overly
broad” and limiting federal reimbursement for such
services as doctor training, some types of rehabilitation, and
outpatient care. The bill also provides the Department of
Health and Human Services an additional $25 million per year to
combat fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system, an effort aimed
at preventing a Presidential veto. Similar legislation (S.
2819) to block the rules has been introduced in the Senate,
sponsored by Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA),
John D. Rockefeller IV Jr. (D-WV), and
Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME). Also on
Wednesday, Director of the Center for Medicaid and State
Operations and designer of the new regulations Dennis
Smith announced he will leave his position some time
this month. “With the economy slowing, more seniors than
ever will be relying on Medicaid for basic services,” said
Edward Coyle, Executive Director of the
Alliance. “These programs are vital to the health of
retirees, and imprecise rules have the unintended consequence of
cutting legitimate care.”
And the Winner
is...
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Labor
Union Women has named Pennsylvania Alliance President
Jean Friday “Labor Woman of the
Year.” At a dinner in Pittsburgh on Monday,
President Friday was honored for her outstanding commitment to
protecting the rights of active and retired workers. A
proclamation recognizing the honor was also read into the record
of the Allegheny County Council. “We offer our
congratulations to Jean, and are thrilled the Pennsylvania
Coalition of Labor Union Women has recognized the enormous
contribution she has made to the Alliance and to retirees across
the country,” said Edward Coyle.
Northeastern Regional Meeting
in Philadelphia Begins This Thursday
Starting
in just six days – April 17-18 – in Philadelphia,
PA, the Alliance will hold its second regional meeting of
2008. The Northeastern Regional Meeting will provide a
forum for activists to work together and prepare for
November’s Presidential election. Attendees will
learn how to get seniors and other retirees registered and
voting, increase grassroots advocacy, and educate federal, state
and local legislators on issues such as Medicare, Social
Security, prescription drugs, and retirement security. For
copies of the official registration form for any of the three
remaining regional meetings, call 1-888-373-6497, email
Joni Jones at jjones@retiredamericans.org,
or visit our website at www.retiredamericans.org.
Locations and dates for the last two meetings are:
Midwestern Regional Conference, April 28-29, 2008 in St. Louis,
MO; and Southern Regional Conference, June 4-5, 2008 in Orlando,
FL. The Western Regional meeting took place in March.
Did You
Know...
On Monday, the federal government
said it would raise payments next year to insurers that provide
health care coverage to seniors through Medicare Advantage (MA)
programs by 3.6%, a slight increase from last year's boost
(Houston Chronicle). The Alliance has been
fighting against subsidy overpayments, because insurance
companies offering MA plans already enjoy, on average,
reimbursements 13% higher than those of traditional
Medicare.
Editor’s Note: Due to the Northeastern
Regional Meeting, the next Friday Alert will be
published on Monday, April 21, 2008.
Become part of a progressive grassroots movement!
Join the Alliance
____________________________________________________________________
Alliance for Retired Americans 815 16th
St, NW Washington, DC 20006 www.retiredamericans.org
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