November was National Family Caregivers Month. In his Presidential Proclamation in celebration of caregivers, President Obama reminds us that our great nation was founded on the ideal that we all do better when we look out for one another. For millions of Americans, this concept is more than an ideal. It’s a day-to-day reality. Continue reading
Affordable healthcare is something that all Americans deserve. Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of people and their families were at risk of financial ruin because they were uninsured. Health insurance companies could also deny health insurance coverage due to a preexisting condition like cancer or diabetes. Fortunately, you are now protected with the ACA. Continue reading
Life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment you live in a warm, safe place; the next moment you can find yourself without a roof over your head.
Who do you turn to? Where can you go? Continue reading
For more than 80 years, Social Security has helped secure today and tomorrow with financial benefits, information, and tools that provide a safety net throughout life’s journey.
June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a day that reminds us how important it is to protect seniors in our communities. Continue reading
In times like these, every dollar counts. Some people qualify for big savings on their Medicare prescription drug costs and don’t even realize it! In fact, if you receive Medicare, you may be eligible for the Extra Help, which could save you about $4,000 per year on your monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments.
To qualify for Extra Help, you must Continue reading
Social Security honors those who have served in the U.S. military. We recognize the sacrifices these Americans made while serving our country. Often, their dedication comes at the expense of significant and lasting effects on themselves and their families.
Social Security provides expedited processing of disability benefit applications for wounded warriors and veterans with a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation rating of 100% Permanent & Total (P&T).
Social Security is always finding new ways to provide world-class service. Social Security started receiving Service member, Veteran, and eligible family members medical records electronically from the Department of Defense (DoD) using health information technology (health IT) leveraging the eHealth Exchange. This latest improvement speeds processing times of disability applications. The disability case processing sites can receive medical records from DoD almost instantaneously.
Happy Year of the Monkey! The Lunar New Year is another opportunity for us to make New Year’s resolutions. For many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, having a better understanding of Social Security should be on their list of things to do.
I had to learn about many of Social Security’s programs very quickly a few years ago, when my dad passed away. I found myself immersed in the world of survivor benefits, pensions, and overall income security for my mom. I learned that my parents were fortunate — Social Security was one source of their income, but not their only one.
Statistics show that a large percentage of elderly Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders rely on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income. This important detail reminds us that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders need to invest for a better financial future.
The uninsured rate among African Americans remains incredibly high. According to the Urban Institute, despite historic gains in coverage during the first two Affordable Care Act open enrollment cycles, 1 out of every 10 African Americans (ages 18-64 years old) still live without healthcare coverage. Health insurance coverage increases access to quality medical care. Healthier individuals are more productive in the workplace, have more stable personal lives, and are less likely to pay huge out of pocket healthcare costs.
2015 was a special year for Social Security – we launched our very first blog, “Social Security Matters.” This blog has helped us cover the issues and concerns that are most important to our beneficiaries and their families. Thank you for reading our blog and joining the conversation about Social Security. We look forward to having more conversations with you in the upcoming year.
While we were partial to storytelling about the 80th Anniversary of the Social Security Act, we invite you to check out our top ten Social Security Blog Posts for 2015:
The Medicare open enrollment period ran from October 15 through December 7. This was the time to make changes to your current Medicare coverage for 2016. To get a jump-start on open enrollment season, we offered five helpful tips to make sure you were prepared to Continue reading
