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Association of
Ameritech/SBC Retirees
The following questions were developed by the
National Retiree Legislative Network (NRLN). As a dues-paying member of
AASBCR, you are also an NRLN member.
We think these are the issues which have the biggest
effect on retirees, so the candidates’ positions are of great importance
to the AASBCR and its members.
Please e-mail these questions to ALL the
House/Senate candidates you could vote for. Please let us know of any
responses you receive – forward them to
newsletter@aasbcr.org.
1
Employers promised millions of retirees they would have health care
benefits during their retirement years. Now, employers are shifting much
of the cost of health care insurance to retirees or are totally
eliminating it. If elected, will you sponsor ERISA legislation requiring
Maintenance-of-Costs Payments to retirees effective the first day of
retirement that would be a monthly income pension subsidy used to pay for
health care coverage? Companies would avoid the cost of ongoing health
care inflation and retirees would have the protection of some level of
health care coverage.
2
The price of prescription drugs in the United States is rising at
triple the rate of inflation.
--Will you support passage of
S. 334 to allow U.S. licensed pharmacies, drug wholesalers and American
consumers to take advantage of the global marketplace by importing safe,
FDA-approved prescription drugs from Canada and other countries at lower
prices?
--The Veterans Administration
has been successful in lowering drug costs for its patients/clients
through competitive bidding. Will you sponsor legislation for Medicare
Part D that would initiate competitive bidding for prescription drugs?
--Many employers have
eliminated their prescription drug plans and retirees have had to enroll
in Medicare Part D which is inferior to the corporate-sponsored plan.
Will you sponsor legislation to increase the Part D subsidy/incentive for
employers who offer coverage that is superior to Part D?
--Will you support H.R. 4685
to prevent in-year interruptions of Medicare Part D prescription drug
coverage and restrict formulary changes?
3 An FDA study has shown
that low-cost generic drugs create competition that dramatically lowers
prescription prices. Yet, the FDA has a backlog of more than 800 new
generic drugs awaiting review. Will you sponsor legislation to increase
FDA funding for the express purpose of clearing the generic drug approval
backlog and to maintain a minimum backlog of less than three months?
4
Health care insurance premiums for
self-employed individuals are tax deductible. Will you sponsor legislation
enabling health care premiums and out-of-pocket health care costs for all
Americans to be fully tax deductible? Such legislation should also set
aside the 7.5% Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limit) for health care premiums
and out of pocket costs not covered by individually purchased plans.
5
Health Care Savings Accounts are
helping many Americans deal with the skyrocketing cost of health care.
Will you sponsor legislation enabling tax free and penalty free rollover
transfers from 401k, IRA, SEP and other individual retirement accounts to
Health Care Savings Accounts (HSAs) and permit the tax-free use of such
accounts to pay for health care premiums and health care costs not covered
by health care insurance? Those who do not own assets in one of the above
accounts would also be allowed to fund an HSA with pre-tax dollars in
accordance with IRA contribution limitations.
6
In H.R. 4, the Pension Reform Act of
2006, that is now law, Congress reinforced ERISA intent that pension plan
assets must be protected for all participants, not just a select few, such
as using plan assets for corporate restructuring. Congress enacted in
Section 420 of the Internal Revenue Code that the 120% pension funding
threshold level should apply in all cases of asset removal. To further
solidify the intent of Congress in protecting pension plan assets, will
you sponsor ERISA legislation to prevent the use of pension assets to pay
for lump-sum layoff or severance pay to selected,
and other enhancements to yet to be
retired, plan participants only?
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