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Public Policy & Aging E-Newsletter Volume 3, Number 2, March 2009 This bimonthly e-newsletter highlights key developments and viewpoints in the field of aging policy from a wide variety of sources, including articles and reports circulating in the media, academy, think tanks, private sector, government and nonprofit organizations. The goal of this email publication is to reach teachers, students, and citizens interested in aging-related issues, especially those who may not have sufficient access to policy information disseminated both in Washington and around the country.
I. WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON? A. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: On February 17, 2009,
President Obama signed into law the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1), a $787 billion economic
stimulus plan aimed at creating millions of jobs and halting the
U.S. economic downturn. The legislation will spur job growth through
massive new investments in energy, transportation, education, and
health care projects, while reviving social safety-net programs.
Just under two-thirds of the costs will represent new government
spending while a little over one-third will come from tax cuts.
President Obama launched the website recovery.gov
for people to track when and how the Act's funds are distributed. C. The Economic Recovery Package Will Help Poor Older Adults, but More Could Be Done: An Urban Institute fact sheet outlines how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will benefit older Americans: one-time payments for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will boost income for the poorest elderly; funds for the Social Security Administration will help older adults obtain benefits more quickly; and an increase in food assistance will help poor older adults pay for food. The authors then note how the Act falls short, specifically how the package includes only a small investment in job training and development for older workers even though older adults will need to work longer than in the past. II. WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY? A. The Nationwide Allocation of Recovery Funding: The Center for American Progress developed an interactive map that shows state-by-state funding allocations of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The map compares the amount that each state will get relative to the size of its economy. These funds include, among other provisions, direct tax cuts for families, increased unemployment insurance and food stamps, new education-system funding, additional funds for clean energy programs, state-level infrastructure projects, and assistance necessary to protect vital services such as Medicaid. The article also lists allocations for programs and tax cuts that are greater than $1 billion. B. The Social Security Administration (SSA) just released its annual
report on state assistance programs for Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) recipients. The report compares the administration-the
governmental unit responsible for administering these payments-and
eligibility requirements for the three major state assistance programs
for SSI: state supplementation (mandatory and optional) of federal
SSI payments; state assistance for special needs; and Medicaid.
Findings are presented for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. C. Facing Deficits, at Least 40 States are Imposing or Planning Cuts That Hurt Vulnerable Residents: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report that describes how continuing economic problems have led at least 40 states to propose or enact reduced services to their residents, including the elderly and disabled. At least 22 states plus the District of Columbia have proposed cuts to medical, rehabilitative, home care, or other services needed by the low-income elderly or disabled. The authors forecast that Congressional economic recovery legislation that includes funding for state governments would mitigate some of these budget cuts. III. THIS ISSUE'S MAJOR POLICY STORY: PRIORITY POLICY PROPOSALS FOR THE PRESIDENT Less than 100 days into his presidency, in the midst of a deepening
recesssion, Barack Obama has acted on some campaign promises and
made clear many priorities. The President clearly wishes to stimulate
recovery in the housing and manufacturing sectors, and to rescue
the banking system. Besides offering tax relief and assistance to
state and local governments, Obama seeks to rebuild the nation's
infrastructure as the nation invests in solutions to the domestic
health-care disparities and addresses environmental challenges.
Current and future cohorts of older Americans, contends the administration,
will benefit from outlays: Among other things funds are earmarked
for senior nutrition programs and Medicaid matches, and to fund
basic research as well as prevention strategies to reduce rates
of chronic illness. --Andy Achenbaum C. Strengthening Social Security for Vulnerable Groups: The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) released a report outlining twelve policy proposals for President Obama and the 111th Congress. These policy proposals aim to improve Social Security protections for low-wage workers, elderly widows, the oldest old, disabled individuals, farm workers, and low-paid workers with careers interrupted by caring for children or aging family members. The authors note that the recent financial crisis makes Social Security more important than ever. D. FCA 2009 National Policy Statement: The Family Caregiver Alliance
(FCA) released a policy
statement that encourages President Obama to strengthen policies
and initiatives that recognize and support the estimated 44 million
U.S. family caregivers. Recommendations include: creating a National
Resource Center on Caregiving; modernizing Medicare and Medicaid
to better support family caregivers; commissioning an Institute
of Medicine (IOM) study on family caregiving; adequately funding
programs that assist family caregivers; expanding paid leave policies;
promoting policies that expand the geriatric care workforce; offering
tax credits for family caregivers and employers; and strengthening
Social Security by recognizing the work of family caregivers. E. The Agenda: Seniors and Social Security: The Whitehouse website outlines President Obama's priorities for Seniors and Social Security. These include: ensuring Social Security's solvency while neither raising the retirement age nor privatizing the program; strengthening retirement savings by reforming corporate bankruptcy laws to protect retirees, requiring full disclosure of company pension investments, eliminating income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000, creating automatic workplace pensions, and preventing age discrimination; increasing the affordability of health care by providing cheaper prescription drugs, and protecting and strengthening Medicare and long-term care options; and supporting senior volunteer efforts. IV. WORTH NOTING A. Social Security Begins Taking Online Applications: In preparation for the coming eligibility of 80 million baby boomers, the Social Security Administration now allows people to apply online for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes. In the past, retirees had to mail in or deliver paper documents such as birth certificates; the new system usually requires no additional documents. Those with more complicated questions can still call the agency or visit an office. B. AARP's Government Watch Website: AARP recently launched Government
Watch, an interactive website designed to enable older Americans
to track and provide input on federal and state legislative activity.
Government Watch features: AARP's 2009 federal advocacy agenda and
priority legislation; "Eye on Congress" that tracks Senators'
and Representatives' voting records on issues critical to older
Americans; "Eye on the States," which contains fact sheets
for each state detailing the importance of health care reform, investment
in home and community based care, aid to struggling homeowners,
and retirement preparation; and identification of Congressional
champions on issues that affect older Americans. C. United Hospital Fund Launches Next Step in Care Website: The
United Hospital Fund launched the Next
Step in Care website to help improve working relationships between
family caregivers and health care providers. The website offers
guides and checklists for family caregivers, as well as guides designed
for health care providers to make patients' transitions between
care settings smoother and safer. The website is the first stage
of a larger campaign that will engage hospitals, nursing home rehabilitation
facilities, home health agencies, patient advocacy groups, and other
family caregiver-focused organizations in addressing a range of
transition-related challenges. V. WHAT'S HAPPENING ABROAD? A. Social Security Systems Around the World: The Population Reference
Bureau's (PRB) January newsletter
compares Social Security systems around the world. It tracks the
emergence and outlines the characteristics of Social Security programs
in many countries. It also describes Social Security's effects on
economic and demographic behavior in each country, specifically
its effects on retirement age and fertility rates. With this research,
the author intends to better inform Social Security financing reform. B. Age Source/Age Stats Worldwide: AARP has launched two new, searchable
international databases. AgeSource Worldwide contains hundreds of
resources from about 25 countries. These resources include clearinghouses,
libraries, databases, training modules, and major reports. AgeStats
Worldwide provides access to comparative statistical data and projections
as far ahead as 2050 that compare the situation of older adults
across countries or regions on a variety of issue areas. Click here
to search either or both databases. C. Pensions in Africa: A recent OECD working
paper examines the current pension arrangements in selected
African countries and discusses why the development of pension systems
is important for the African region. Individual country overviews
are provided for Botswana, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho,
Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa,
Uganda, and Zambia. VI. PERSPECTIVES ON POLICY: ROB HUDSON, EDITOR, PP&AR There can be no question that the current economic crisis is emerging as the most dire that we have seen since the 1930s. And, in terms of both employment opportunities and retirement savings, it seems certain to hit older Americans as hard as it will everyone else. Looking for any silver lining in this situation, one finally occurs to me. In recent years, pressures on age-related programs have built as "the scope of conflict" around aging policy has expanded, meaning that programs that were once politically insulated are now under scrutiny and attack from those who see entitlement spending for older adults leading us toward fiscal doom. Yet, the very challenge we face has allowed the scope of conflict to expand even wider and, in so doing, place aging policy on a side burner if not a back burner. Specifically in the case of Medicare, the issue is being recast, by President Obama and others, as being centrally about a health care financing and delivery system that is largely out of control and not as part of an entitlement crisis centered on older Americans. Less certain, but possible, is that Social Security is coming to be seen as either a manageable problem or even as en economic stabilizer both meeting needs and protecting income. There is nothing more shovel-ready in America than Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. Click here to view an index of issues of the quarterly Public Policy & Aging Report, including the most recent issue on the topic of "Aging and Tax Policy. The Public Policy & Aging E-Newsletter is a free bimonthly email publication. If you would like to subscribe, please click here and type “Subscribe” in the subject line. If you would like to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please click here and type “Unsubscribe” in the subject line. Newsletter Editors: Sarah Frey and Greg O'Neill, National Academy
on an Aging Society; Andy Achenbaum, University of Houston.
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