2247 NEWS RELEASE

#1. H.R. 3631

H.R. 3631 protects all Medicare Part B beneficiaries from a premium increase in 2010, including federal retirees who are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits.

Urge our Senators to quickly pass H.R. 3631 to allow the Medicare agency to prepare for 2010.

The NARFE Legislative Action Center features an Action Alert which allows you to send NARFE’s message to both your Senators. (The direct path to this Urgent Action Alert is http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196)

H.R. 3631, the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, is a bill that would protect all beneficiaries, including federal annuitants, from an increase in their 2010 Medicare Part B premium increase. The bill was already approved by the House of Representatives on September 24 in an overwhelming vote of 406-18 (Roll no. 737). Since September 24, I have written four times on this subject in the chapter Blog. Go to the search engine on right hand side of the Blog just below the list of Officers and type in 3631plus Go. You will see all four articles.

H.R. 3631 deserves our support because it brings equity among Medicare Part B beneficiaries that the current law's "hold harmless" provisions does not. With no Social Security cost-of-living adjustment in 2010, the hold harmless in current law will only ensure that most beneficiaries will not pay an increase in their Part B premium increased.

#2. US BUDGET

On preliminary examination, the fiscal year 2011 budget, submitted by President Obama to Congress, contains no major changes, or scored savings, in programs impacting the income or health care security of federal retirees. NARFE staff will continue to review the large compilation of budget documents. (Available on the Government Printing Office web site: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy11/index.html )

#3. Budget Cutting Commission and Fast Track Procedure:

Despite the short term increase in the debt limit, signed into law (P.L. 111-123) by President Obama on December 29, allowing the government to pay its bills until February, another increase in the debt limit will be needed. Separate legislation (H.R. 1557 and S. 2834) to create a commission which could force changes to entitlement and other program spending and tax policy through the use of a Congressional fast-track procedure could be added to the debt limit legislation. NARFE is concerned that such a commission could single out the earned federal civil service retirement and health benefits for reductions. To urge your two U.S.Senators to oppose the fast-track commission proposal use the Legislative Action Center on the NARFE web site: http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14498696 .

#4. Café 101

Sign up with Cece,672-5827, if you haven’t already. Remember March 22 at noon we have a buffet date.