Alexander: Cuts to Medicare Advantage will hurt seniors
A proposed 0.9 percent cut in payments to health insurers for Medicare Advantage plans will hurt seniors and the disabled, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander says.
Medicare Advantage provides health benefits to more than 16 million elderly or disabled people. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the proposed cut Friday. In response, Alexander and 52 other senators wrote to CMS Director Marilyn Tavenner opposing the reduction.
“The administration’s proposed cuts could threaten access to popular health plans or increase out-of-pocket costs for more than 400,000 Tennesseans who have chosen Medicare Advantage — nearly one in three Tennesseans enrolled in Medicare,” Alexander said in a news release. “I urge CMS to reconsider these cuts that could disrupt health coverage for millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities in this country.”
Georgia Democrats laud religious bill’s tabling
The chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party says the Judiciary Committed did the right thing by tabling of one of two “alleged religious freedom bills.”
Senate Bill 129 would allow people to “act or refuse to act” based on religious faith, which many interpret as the right to refuse goods or services to others, such as same-sex couples. Porter called it “a license to discriminate.”
In a statement, Porter said the Constitution provides “the strongest protections” for religious freedom.
“It’s interesting that all these ‘strict constructionists’ and ‘small government’ Republicans love to create unfounded controversy to put more legislation on the books,” Porter said. “Most folks I talk to are more concerned with different moral tenets that are shared by the major religions–being good stewards of the planet, feeding the hungry, and providing health care for the sick.”
Mullis: Bills help veterans
Georgia state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, praised colleagues for approving last week bills he said will “create and enhance the educational and work opportunities available to our military service men and women.”
In a news release, Mullis said Senate Bill 18 will allow practical military work skills or experience to be accepted by the Technical College System of Georgia as academic credit.
Senate Bill 58 would create the Georgia Leadership and Service Admissions Act, which would allow each state lawmaker to recommend one student for each year for admission to a school within the University System of Georgia, as long as the student meets HOPE scholarship requirements and commits to serving in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) throughout their term of enrollment.
Mullis noted other bills passed in the Senate last week:
* Senate Bill 79: Increases the amount of victim compensation available to family members when a crime results in death. This money can be used by the victim’s family to help pay for funeral expenses, lost wages, counseling and other needs.
* Senate Bill 51: Clarifies standards and procedures for pharmacists when dispensing substitutions for certain name-brand biological medications.
* Senate Bill 4: Expands the type of projects or land use that may qualify for public and private funding if used in urban redevelopment efforts to include transportation projects.
* Senate Bill 72: Increases the sentence for people who kill a police dog to 10-30 years in prison. The bill, also called “Tanja’s Law,” is named in memory of a Walker County K-9 killed in the line of duty.
CALENDAR
Monday: State Sen. Todd Gardenhire speaks to Pachyderm Club on Insure Tennessee. Noon at GOP headquarters, 1428 Chestnut St., Suite E. Parking is in the Finley Stadium lot.
Monday: The League of Women Voters will hold an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Chattanooga Public Library. Michele Brandenburg will lead a discussion on forming a members-at-large LWV unit in Chattanooga. For more information contact Joan Hamner at joanhamner@gmail.com.
Monday: The Eastdale Neighborhood Association will hear from Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger at 5:45 p.m. at the Eastdale Community Center, 1314 Moss St. For more information contact Demetres Coonrod at demetrescoonrod@yahoo.com.
Wednesday: Chattanooga Organized for Action will meet from 6-8 pm at Mercy Junction, 1918 Union Ave. For more information, contact Perrin Lance at perrin.lance@chattaction.org.
Thursday: The board of directors of the Hamilton County Democratic Party will meet at 6 p.m. at HCDP headquarters, 4300 North Access Road. All Democrats are welcome. For more information, contact Terry Lee at tleedemocrat@gmail.com.