Friday Alert for Alliance for Retired Americans

Headlines:

Supreme Court Upholds Federal Insurance Exchange, Benefiting Early Retirees and Older Workers; 
Alliance Members Rally at Senators’ Offices Ahead of TPA Vote; 
Indiana Alliance Holds its Convention; 
Medicare Turns 50: Join us in Celebration by Sharing Your Story; 
This week’s Medicare quote from the past; 
Less than Two Weeks until National Legislative Conference

Here's your June 26th Friday Alert:

Supreme Court Upholds Federal Insurance Exchange, Benefiting Early Retirees and Older Workers

In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday in the case of King v. Burwell that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows residents of states using the federal insurance exchange to receive premium subsidies for their coverage — an outcome that preserves subsidies for 6.4 million people. This decision will be especially helpful to older Americans who are not yet eligible for Medicare. According to an analysis by the RAND Corporation, 34.9% of the ACA marketplace is made up of 50-64 year olds and of that group, 72.6% are eligible for subsidies.

“With Thursday’s decision, the Supreme Court said that millions of older Americans are not going to lose the health care benefits they had gained,” said Barbara J. Easterling, President of the Alliance.

Alliance Executive Director Richard Fiesta issued a statement after hearing news of the ruling, saying, “The Alliance will continue to vigorously oppose the legislative and judicial attacks that seek to destroy the important gains working Americans made through the ACA.”

Alliance Members Rally at Senators’ Offices Ahead of TPA Vote

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 60-37 to advance “Fast Track” Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), after the measure passed the House last week on its second major vote. While TPA got 14 Democratic votes the first time around, a number of Senate Democrats were hesitant to advance a measure that didn’t include any form of Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Alliance members rallied outside the offices of Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Bill Nelson (FL), Tom Carper (DE), Chris Coons (DE), and Ron Wyden (OR) on Monday, urging them to vote “no” on the pending measure.

“Now the secret language in the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be revealed to the world,” said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “We will continue to fight to stop the TPP from being implemented, to ensure that prescription drug prices do not rise due to this bad trade deal.” 

Indiana Alliance Holds its Convention

On Tuesday, Mr. Fiesta was in Indianapolis to speak at the Indiana Alliance’s convention. Elmer Blankenship was re-elected as state president. The program included a report on raising the minimum wage from John Cardwell of the Generations Project.

Medicare Turns 50: Join Us in Celebration by Sharing Your Story

Have you had a chance to check out the personal stories of Alliance members featured on our new www.medicare50th.org website?

Be part of the celebration. Use the online form to tell us how Medicare has improved your life. Check out the growing list of events local Alliances are planning to mark the occasion and review the timeline to see key points in Medicare’s history – many of which wouldn’t have happened without strong, effective advocacy from retirees and their families.

This week’s Medicare quote from the past:

“Some said he couldn't take on the insurance companies that were ripping us off. But President Obama made the tough and right call to save lives, save Medicare and ensure no one goes broke just because they get sick.” – U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid(NV), September 4th, 2012

Less than Two Weeks until National Legislative Conference

The Alliance will hold its National Legislative Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, DC from July 7 th - July 10th at the Washington Hilton. In addition to having an opportunity to speak with Members of Congress and their legislative staffs about retirement security, conference attendees will attend trainings and action sessions that will improve their advocacy skills. Speakers include AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka; House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA); Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA); Rep. Keith Ellison (MN), co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus; Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL), co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Seniors; White House Conference on Aging Executive Director Nora Super; and several others. Pre-conference registration has closed, but you can register on-site.

For a printable or two-page pdf version of this document, click here.

For the Alliance's Spanish language page, which includes last week's Friday Alert in Spanish, go to www.alianzadejubilados.org