Join us for a Town Hall Meeting in La Crosse, WI.
Need Answers about Social Security?
How will the proposed change affect you?
Join Us on Friday, May 17th
12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Hmong Cultural & Community Center
WI ARA is jointly sponsoring this Town Hall Meeting to discuss the proposed changes in Social Security & Medicare. Please share this information with your friends & neighbors.
Billy Feitlinger, Executive Director
WISCONSIN ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS
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Affordable Care Act Delivers Cheaper Prescription Drugs
Affordable Care Act Delivers Cheaper Prescription Drugs to Nearly 500,000 People in Country who Fall into the Donut Hole and Average Savings is $545.00
Thanks to the Affordable Health Care Act passed in March, 2010, nearly 500,000 people with Medicare Part D reached the gap in coverage known as the ‘donut hole’ have received an automatic 50 percent discount on their covered brand name prescription drugs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted data today that shows 478, 272 Medicare Beneficiaries have benefitted from the 50% discount in the first 5 months of 2011. These beneficiaries saved a total of about $260 million, or an average of $545.00 per beneficiary. In Wisconsin, over 8000 people have benefitted from the discount.
Leon Burzynski, President WIARA, said, “The number of seniors benefiting from this discount continues to grow. In the month of May alone, the total number of beneficiaries who received the discount rose by over 76%, while the dollar amount of savings rose by over 56%.
Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, representing over 103,000 Wisconsin retirees, provides public education and advocacy on state and federal issues and programs. The WIARA is dedicated to the economic and health security of current and future retirees.
Most of these discounts are helping Americans with serious conditions-nearly 14% of the benefits provided to date are for cancer drugs, another 8% for medications to help control high blood pressure and cholesterol, and another 7% for drugs provided to diabetic patients.
“Without the Affordable Health Care Act, many seniors and people with disabilities would pay about twice as much for their prescription drugs in the donut hole, remarked President Burzynski. If Congressman Paul Ryan’s Medicare proposal had passed, Medicare beneficiaries would not have received this discount and many other health care benefits.
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June 17, 2011
For Immediate Release
Retiree Leader: AARP Does Not Speak for
Wisconsin Seniors
Leon Burzynski, president of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans (WIARA), responded to the story in the Wall Street Journal today , which states that AARP supports cutting Social Security benefits. "It is apparent that AARP is not representing the interests of their Wisconsin members on this issue. AARP members will decide for themselves how they feel about this, but one thing is clear: AARP does not speak for all Wisconsin seniors."
Burzynski added, “There is no ambiguity on where the WIARA stands on Social Security – there never has been and never will be. We are against Social Security benefit cuts, including raising the retirement age, and we will fight against them at every turn." In fact, the American people are united in their opposition to slashing Social Security benefits – across all ages and political beliefs. The current economic recession is all the proof we need that Social Security is the only safety net that keeps millions of seniors in their homes and food on their tables.
The WIARA has heard the argument that when the Baby Boomers retire, they will break the bank. Those voices of doom are wrong. The Social Security Trust Fund has a $2.6 trillion surplus and, thanks to the direct contributions of workers and their employers, we do not need to cut benefits. There are measures that would address the long-term demands the Trust Fund will face, including raising the payroll tax on the wealthiest Americans, and eliminating the payroll tax cap.
“The WIARA will always stand up for seniors and the middle class. We are working to strengthen and protect Social Security for today’s seniors and future generations by rejecting cuts.”
Leon Burzynski, President,
Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans
