• President Confirms Plans To Cut
  Social Security Benefits
• Thousands Rally To Protect Social Security
• Congress Passes Budget Without Kennedy,
  Smith Amendments
• Medicare Rx Discount Card Numbers Are In
• Misleading Medicare Booklet Draws Fire
• Support Workers Free Choice Act
• U.S. Residents Support Drug Reimportation,
  Medicare Negotiating Prices
• How To Prepare for a Medical Emergency
• AFT PLUS Discounts on Flowers for Mother's Day
• Quote of Note
• In Memoriam
• Web Site of the Week: http://www.americansforsocialsecurity.com

PRESIDENT CONFIRMS PLANS TO CUT
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
In a rare evening news conference April 28, President George W. Bush announced plans to cut Social Security benefits for future middle-class retirees by changing the formula for calculating cost-of-living increases. The president was short on details, but a similar plan conceived by Robert Pozen, a member of the Bush Social Security Commission, would reduce the COLA for all future retirees who made more than $25,000 a year to finance part of the massive borrowing necessary to pay for private accounts. The move would cut benefits for about 70 percent of American workers. The president repeated his vow that any Social Security package must include private accounts. A Washington Post/ABC News poll released on April 26, near the end of the president’s 60-day Social Security blitz, found that just 31 percent of Americans approve of how he's handled the issue. In the last month, opposition to private accounts has increased 10 points, according to the poll, and now stands at 51 percent opposed and 46 percent in favor.

THOUSANDS RALLY TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY
Vowing to preserve Social Security for future generations, thousands of opponents of President Bush's plan to privatize the nation's retirement program rallied in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol April 26. They were joined by close to 100 members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, who appeared onstage together in an impressive show of unity. The rally, along with similar events in 35 states, coincided with the opening round of Senate hearings on the Social Security privatization plan. "Privatization is just a buzz word for the destruction of Social Security," Senate minority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told the crowd. In a clear sign of Democratic unity, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), a key figure in the passage of the 2003 Medicare law, vowed to oppose private accounts that require trillions in borrowing. President Bush's private accounts proposal would add nearly $5 trillion to the deficit in the next 20 years. George Kourpias, president of the AFL-CIO's Alliance for Retired Americans, said members of his organization "are committed to making certain their children and grandchildren understand what they will be giving up in exchange for the risky private accounts being touted by President Bush." Sponsored by Americans United to Protect Social Security, the rally also featured speakers from labor unions, NOW, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the NAACP and several other major groups. Nearly 100 AFT members and staff, including retirees from the New York State United Teachers, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the Baltimore Teachers Union, attended the rally.

CONGRESS PASSES BUDGET WITHOUT KENNEDY, SMITH AMENDMENTS
Congress approved the fiscal year 2006 budget resolution on April 28 without the AFT-supported increases for higher education and job training outlined in the Senate-passed amendment offered by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). The budget resolution also did not include a Senate-passed amendment offered by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and supported by the AFT to stop $10 billion in cuts to Medicaid. The House vote to approve the resolution was 214-211, with 15 Republicans voting against it and supporting AFT's position. The Senate vote was 52-47, with three Republicans voting no. Earlier this month, the AFT launched a phone and e-mail campaign urging members to contact their representatives and ask them to vote for the Kennedy and Smith amendments. "Congress missed a unique opportunity to improve the budget," says Tor Cowan, AFT's director of legislation. Also disappointing is that the budget continues underfunding the No Child Left Behind Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act despite Congress' promises to properly fund these laws, he adds. "However, we are heartened by our many members who reached out to Congress during the budget debate and made sure that their voices were heard."

MEDICARE Rx DISCOUNT CARD NUMBERS ARE IN
Some 25 percent of the 7 million people eligible for the $600 credit through the Medicare-approved discount drug cards signed up for the program, according to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). As of February, CRS says that nearly 6.2 million older Americans and people with disabilities were enrolled in a Medicare-approved drug discount card program. Only 1.7 million persons received the low-income credit—far below initial government expectations of 4.7 million estimated enrollees. Nearly half those in the program were enrolled automatically by either their Medicare private plan or state pharmacy assistance program.

MISLEADING MEDICARE BOOKLET DRAWS FIRE
Seniors bewildered by the confusing, complicated Medicare plan won’t find answers from the White House. The administration's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the 2006 version of its annual booklet "Medicare & You." The first draft, however, has more spin than answers. Five House of Representative members charge the handbook is "rife with omissions and inaccuracies and could exacerbate, not mitigate, beneficiary confusion. " For example, the draft contains no mention of the so-called 'doughnut hole' in prescription drug coverage. Under the White House plan, beneficiaries must pay all drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100 before coverage kicks back in. The booklet skips this glitch, saying only, "After you meet the deductible, you pay part of the cost of covered prescription drugs and the plan pays part."

SUPPORT WORKERS' FREE CHOICE ACT
Working families are pushing hard to pass legislation that would remove unfair obstacles employers routinely use to thwart workers’ freedom to form unions. The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1696/S. 842), introduced in Congress April 19 by Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), would reform the nation’s private-sector labor laws by requiring employers to recognize a union after a majority of workers sign cards authorizing representation. It also calls for mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes and establishes stronger penalties for violation of the rights of workers seeking to form unions or negotiate first contracts. About 57 million U.S. workers say they would join a union if they could, based on research by Peter D. Hart Research Associates. But when workers try to form a union, employers routinely respond with intimidation, harassment and retaliation. According to a survey of National Labor Relations Board election campaigns in 1998 and 1999 by Cornell University professor Kate Bronfenbrenner, private-sector employers illegally fire employees for union activity in at least a quarter of all efforts to join a union. The Employee Free Choice Act was introduced last year and gained 210 co-sponsors in the House and more than 30 in the Senate, but the Republican leadership refused to let it go to the floor for a vote. You can take action right now http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Support_EFCA and
let your elected leaders know how important it is that they support this bill.

U.S. RESIDENTS SUPPORT DRUG REIMPORTATION,
MEDICARE NEGOTIATING PRICES
Seventy-seven percent of U.S. residents support allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada, and the same percentage also believe Medicare should be permitted to negotiate lower medication prices with drug companies, according to a new Kaiser Health Poll Report released April 18. According to the survey, in each case, 79 percent of respondents say the change would have a lot or some impact in reducing prescription drug costs in the United States. The study also shows only about one-quarter of residents believe that legalizing prescription drug reimportation would harm safety and reduce the revenue drug companies use for research and development. The poll includes responses from 1,200 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) would legalize drug imports and create a regulatory system enabling U.S. pharmacies, wholesalers and consumers to buy cheaper prescription drugs from about 30 countries. Americans, who pay the highest prices for drugs in the world, are increasingly turning to Canada for supplies. In 2003, people here filled 12 million prescriptions in Canada, which provides the same drugs as the United States at 35 percent to 55 percent lower cost.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Medical emergencies can happen when you least expect them and when you’re least prepared. While it’s hard to plan for emergencies, here are some tips from the Medicare Rights Center to help you get the best care as quickly as possible.

• Have emergency numbers on hand or at the press of a button. In addition to keeping lists of emergency phone numbers on your refrigerator and next to all your phones, consider programming these numbers into your phone. If you live alone, you may also want to buy a medical alert necklace or bracelet that allows you to contact help at the press of a button.
• Keep your health and prescription information easily accessible. To prevent dangerous interactions between medications or allergic reactions, keep a list of your allergies and the medicines you take (including schedule and dosage) under a magnet on your fridge. Emergency medical workers are trained to look there for information that could help save your life. In addition to prescription information, list any health conditions you have (such as diabetes), and your advance medical directives (such as “do not resuscitate” orders).

AFT PLUS DISCOUNTS ON FLOWERS FOR
MOTHER'S DAY
As Mother's Day approaches and you plan to show a mother how much you care, take advantage of the 15 percent discount AFT members receive on floral orders. This includes arrangements, plants and gift baskets. To place your order, call 888/667-7779, or for more information visit http://www.aft.org/aftplus/discounts/flowers.htm.

QUOTE OF NOTE
"On Wall Street, the biggest mistake you can make is to risk what you can't afford to lose. The president wants millions of Americans to take risks with their minimum retirement security. It's a bad trade for America and we cannot let it happen."

Ben Appen, partner
Magnitude Capital
April 25, 2005

In Memoriam: John Fallan, former president of the Perth Amboy Federation of Teachers, staff representative and director of field services for the New Jersey State Federation and a founding member of the NJSFT Retirees, passed away on April 24. John was an activist in the struggles to win collective bargaining rights for teachers and other school employees. He helped in many organizing AFT drives and negotiated numerous contracts. He was always willing to go where needed to help build the union and represent members. John is survived by his wife, Claire Ann, and their children Kristin and Sean. Cards of condolence can be sent to John's family at 144 Rector St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861.

WEB SITE OF THE WEEK: americansforsocialsecurity.com
The Web site of Americans United to Protect Social Security, the new coalition strongly supported by the AFT, AFL-CIO and other labor and activist groups, features a calculator that allows those born after 1950 to determine just how much they would lose each year in Social Security benefits based on President Bush’s proposals. It also includes videos, a calendar of events and soup-to-nuts information on Social Security.