| Money Worries Top Concerns of US Seniors | |
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To the amazement of absolutely nobody, financial security during retirement years remains the primary concern of older Americans, according a survey performed by The Seniors Coalition.
The Seniors Coalition (TSC), represented by some 4 million members nationwide, released the results of its 2001 Legislative Survey on Senior Citizens' Issues on April 17.
Compiled from 72,147 responses, the survey showed overwhelming support for legislative issues that have traditionally been top priority for older Americans, including an ironclad "lockbox" protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits, and repeal of the federal estate tax, often called the "death tax."
Over 90 percent of those responding indicated they favored the immediate repeal of both the estate tax and taxes on Social Security benefits.
On April 4, 2001, the House of Representatives passed a bill (see story) that would phase out the estate tax by 2011. The Senate, however plans to combine bills dealing with the estate tax, marriage tax penalty and President Bush's proposed tax cut plan into a single "omnibus" tax reconciliation bill to be considered later this spring.
The Social Security "lockbox" could come with final passage of the bill H.R. 2 - The Social Security and Medicare Lock-Box Act of 2001. The "lockbox" bill was passed 407-2 by the House on Feb. 13, 2001, and is currently before the Senate Budget Committee.
Provision of a prescription drug benefit plan in Medicare gained support from 68 percent of those responding, while the overall results indicated widespread concern that American seniors need stronger medical privacy protection.
Currently in Congress, the bill S. 186 - The Generic Pharmaceutical Access and Choice for Consumers Act of 2001 - sponsored by Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), would allow patients covered by Medicare to choose generic drugs instead of more costly nongeneric drugs.
The Bush administration on April 12, 2001, (see story) allowed sweeping patient privacy rules originally issued under departing President Clinton to begin taking effect immediately rather than holding them for further study as had previously been announced.
Under the privacy regulations, all patients will gain the rights to see their own medical records and to limit what information doctors can give to insurance companies, rights currently limited in some states.
Full results of the Seniors Coalition 2001 Legislative Survey are shown on the next page.
Next page > Full Results of Survey > Page 1, 2
