For more than a quarter century, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) has been active in fighting for older Americans, retirees, their children and families through social justice activities. P uget S ound A dvocates for R etirement A ction Working across generations for social justice, economic security, dignity, and a healthy planet for all of us. The Trump Administration is closing Social Security Offices across the country. Click Here for More Perfect Union's report on this Tragedy Protecting our Assets Protecting our Asses In 2025 PSARA’s Co-President, Jeff Johnson, wrote a series of articles for PSARA’s Retiree Advocate highlighting the need to move beyond fossil fuels and the responsibility of unions to insure that their retirement plans stop investing in fossil fuels not just because its good environmentally but also good economics. Unions can play a key role in jump starting our green future. These articles have been consolidated into a single publication: Protecting our Assets Protecting our Asses. Read Protecting our Assets Upcoming PSARA Events/meetings Bend it Like Booker 25 Hours of Dynamic Stories Speakers, Performances Sat. Sept. 12 @ 10 am to Sept. 13th, @ 11:15 am (click here for more details) Three Roads Book & Music Tour Joe Uehlein Concert/Book signing Weds. Sept. 30th @ 4 -6 pm (click here for more details) Every Billionaire Is a Policy Failure Book Release Party: Selected articles by Michael Righi Sat. Oct 3rd @ 3 pm 800 NW 46th St, Seattle Click Here for a complete list of Events and PSARA Committee Meetings From Wins to What’s Next – A Recap of the 2026 Legislative Session was presented May 27th If you missed the presentation you can watch the recording here PSARA September Retiree Advocate Click here to read the Advocate online In this issue, we feature Tim Wheeler's account of a plane ride over the Spokane wildfires. Also in this issue: "Social Security on the Ballot," by Steve Kofahl Jeff Johnson's interview with Joe Uehlein An update on our Government Relations Committee's work "Living and Dying with Artificial Intelligence" by Bobby Righi Jeff Johnson's response to Reuvan Carlisle and Mark Mullet on the subject of investments in fossil fuels Katie Harris's analysis of high-tech surveillance tools used by ICE "Carpetbaggers, Scalawags, and Redeemers: White People in the Post Civil War South," by Mike Andrew Health Secretary Kennedy is Attacking Traditional Medicare in Washington State In January, the Trump administration will be rolling out a new control on Traditional Medicare in six states, including Washington State. This program is called WISeR. It will affect Medicare benefits by requiring a new prior authorization for a number of medical decisions. This means your doctor will need to receive prior authorization from the Federal government before you get some medical treatments. C lick Here for more on the WISeR Program and what you can do to stop it. On December 6th PSARA Board Members Robby Stern and Anne Watanabe (hosted by Dan Grey and Evegreen State College) discuss the attacks on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Please listen to the interview and share with your friends: Click here to hear the interview. Download and Read PSARA’s Primer on Leveling the Medicare Playing Field JOIN PSARA in making a difference! Back to Top

The Retiree ADVOCATE The Monthly Publication of PSARA EDUCATION FUND “Uniting Generations for a Secure Future” Advocate Print Version September 1, 2026 Social Security on the Ballot Steve Kofahl "Social Security on the Ballot," by Steve Kofahl Read More Join Us! PSARA Summer Membership Meeting and Potluck Join Us! PSARA Summer Membership Meeting and Potluck Read More Three Roads: Labor, Music, Ecology An Interview With Joe Uehlein Jeff Johnson Jeff Johnson's interview with Joe Uehlein Read More Legislative Session 2027 The Government Relations Committee Wants to Hear From You Pam Crone The 2027 WA State Legislative Session will soon be upon us. Pam Crone provides an update of PSARA’s Government Relations Committee preparations. Read More PSARA Executive Director Mike Andrew Presented With Mother Jones Individual Award by WSLC PSARA’s Executive Director, Mike Andrew was recently presented the Mother Jones award by the State Labor council. Recognizing his many years of building bridges between movements, bringing together labor activists, retirees, and LGBTQ+ workers. Read More Spokane Below My Wings, Lost in Smoke, All Ashes Tim Wheeler Tim Wheeler looks at Spokane's recent tragic fire and the City's labor history. Read More Living and Dying with Artificial Intelligence Bobby Righi Bobby Righi reviews the challenges we face with AI and the Data Centers built to serve AI Read More Fossil Fuel Divestment and Engaging With Corporate Clean Energy Transition Plans Both Necessary Jeff Johnson Jeff Johnson's response to Reuvan Carlisle and Mark Mullet on the subject of investments in fossil fuels Read More The Tech Tools of ICE: Drawing Inferences About Us Katie Harris Katie Harris's analysis of high-tech surveillance tools used by ICE Read More Carpetbaggers, Scalawags, and Redeemers White People in the Post-Civil War South Mike Andrew "Carpetbaggers, Scalawags, and Redeemers: White People in the Post Civil War South," Read More

-5198757490226798476 IMG_0563 20230321_115056_edited -5198757490226798476 1/5 Meetings & Events IMG_0137 (1) IMG_6872 France Giddings Karen Richter, Jeff Johnson and Robby Stern IMG_0137 (1) 1/9 PSARA committee meetings and events will be virtual unless otherwise noted, to attend any of these meetings, email organizer@psara.org for the link. Non PSARA events on this calendar are identified as such and have link to the sponsoring agency in the description. Thursday Sep 17, 2026 3:00 AM Race and Gender Equity Comm. Unless otherwise specified all meetings are Zoom. Please contact Organizer@psara.org for Zoom link. Thursday Sep 17, 2026 4:30 AM PSARA Executive Board Unless otherwise specified all meetings are Zoom. Please contact Organizer@psara.org for Zoom link. Friday Sep 18, 2026 3:30 AM Federal Bldg. 909 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 Support our Federal Workforce Support our Federal workers and No Kings Rally. Every Friday at the Seattle Federal Building PLaza. For more information or to support contact: federalbuildingfridays@gmail.com Friday Sep 25, 2026 3:30 AM Federal Bldg. 909 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 Support our Federal Workforce Support our Federal workers and No Kings Rally. Every Friday at the Seattle Federal Building PLaza. For more information or to support contact: federalbuildingfridays@gmail.com Wednesday Sep 30, 2026 2:30 AM WA State Labor Council Office, 321 16th Ave. S, Seattle Fund Raising Comm. Unless otherwise specified all meetings are Zoom. Please contact Organizer@psara.org for Zoom link. Wednesday Sep 30, 2026 8:00 AM Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, 321 16th Ave S, Seattle Joe Uehlein Concert Joseph B. Uehlein, President and Board Chair, Labor Network for Sustainability, and Voices for a Sustainable Future. Joe Uehlein is the former secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Union Department and former director of the AFL-CIO Center for Strategic Campaigns. Joe spent over 30 years doing organizing, bargaining, and strategic campaign work in the labor movement. PSARA recently published an interview with Joe. Click here for the interview . Watch for reminder emails from PSARA. If you're not on PSARA's email list, please email organizer@psara.org to get on the list and receive updates on all PSARA events. Friday Oct 2, 2026 3:30 AM Federal Bldg. 909 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 Support our Federal Workforce Support our Federal workers and No Kings Rally. Every Friday at the Seattle Federal Building PLaza. For more information or to support contact: federalbuildingfridays@gmail.com Saturday Oct 3, 2026 7:00 AM 800 NW 46th Street Seattle WA Book Release Party: Every Billionaire Is a Policy Failure Selected articles by Michael Righi Our beloved PSARA Member and friend Michael Righi was an economist and Educator. He also wrote a number of articles for the PSARA Newsletter, The Retiree Advocate. We have gathered a selection of articles into a Book: Every Billionaire Is a Policy Failure. This book is being published to honor Michael who passed away in August, 2025. Watch for PSARA emails for more details. If you don't get regular emails from PSARA, email organizer@psara.org to get on our email list and get notifications for this and other PSARA events.

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents May 2026 GiveBIG 2026 Karen Richter The 2026 GiveBIG campaign will begin on April 28 and will end on May 5. It is the most important fundraiser of the year for the PSARA Education Fund. GiveBIG contributions finance the Education Fund’s educational work, which includes the production and mailing of The Retiree Advocate and additional educational presentations and publications. Like past years, the Executive Boards of PSARA(c4) and the PSARA Education Fund(c3) have challenged our members to collectively match the Executive Boards’ contributions. For the 2026 GiveBIG challenge, our Boards have very generously pledged $27,160. PSARA’s reputation has grown regionally and nationally. We have been invited to share our expertise about Medicare, Social Security, climate and social justice issues, and state legislative issues by a growing number of organizations and individuals. For example, in April, Representative Adam Smith held a roundtable on the privatization of Original Medicare, specifically, the WISeR pilot project. PSARA was the primary resource for information about WISeR, the problems with the program, and efforts that are being made to defund the program. Please see Robby Stern’s article in the April edition of the Advocate for a comprehensive discussion of our work. We hope you can contribute to the PSARA Education Fund this year. Donations can be made on the GiveBIG website from April 28th to May 5th. https://www . wagives.org/donate/PSARA-Education-Fund You can also make a GiveBIG donation through PSARA’s website, www.psara.org , anytime between now and May 5th. Or, you can send a check to PSARA at 321 16th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144. The Education Fund will receive the full amount of your donation by this method. Just write GiveBIG in the memo line. Thank you for being PSARA members and for your support. Karen Richter is Co-President of PSARA and Vice President of the PSARA Education Fund. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents June 2026 Join Us for Juneteenth! Saturday, June 20, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. New Hope Missionary Baptist Church 124 21st Avenue, Seattle With Special Guest Mr. Delbert Richardson We invite you and your neighbors, family, friends, and fellow workers to a very special Juneteenth celebration. This year, PSARA is honored to feature Mr. Delbert Richardson. Mr. Richardson is a Community Scholar, Ethnomuseumologist, and Second-Generation Storyteller, of the “Unspoken Truths”: National Award-Winning American History Traveling Museum. With the use of authentic artifacts, storyboards, and the ancient art of "storytelling," Richardson teaches "American History" through an Afrocentric lens. His work is broken into four sections: Mother Africa, which focuses on the many contributions by Africans in the area of science, technology engineering, art, and mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.); American Chattel Slavery, the brutal treatment and psychological impacts on African Americans of the Diaspora; The Jim Crow Era, the racial caste system that focused on the creation and enforcement of legalized segregation; Still We Rise, which focuses on the many contributions in the Americas, Black inventors/inventions. Richardson's work is primarily geared towards K-12th grade students as well as professional development training. For his work, Richardson has received a truly astonishing series of awards: 2013 National Campus Compact Newman Fellows Award 2017 National Education Assoc. (NEA) Human and Civil Rights Award 2019 Seattle Mayor Arts Award 2019 Seattle Crosscut Courage in Culture Award 2020 Assoc. of King County Org. (AKCHO) Heritage Education Award 2020 National Marquis Who's Who Award 2021 Governor's Arts & Heritage "spotlight" Award 2021 Kwanzaa "Imani" Award 2021 Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) Educator of The Year 2022 Seattle Public Schools Dept. of Racial Equity Advancement (DREA) Outstanding Educator Award 2023 Sri Chinmoy Oneness-home Peace Run Award 2023 Certificate of Achievement/Cultural Space Agency 2024 WASA (Wash. Assoc. of School Administrators) Certificate Of Merit 2024 PSESD (Puget Sound Ed. Service Dept.) Transformational Partner Leadership Award PSARA thanks Mr. Delbert Richardson; our host, Pastor Robert Jeffrey, Sr., and New Hope Missionary Baptist Church; Faith Action Network; and the Abe Keller Peace Foundation. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents January 2026 Inside CMS’s Troubling WISeR Vendor List and the Power It Hands to Private Contractors By Seth Glickman, MD, and Rachel Madley, PhD CMS’s chosen WISeR vendors include firms tied to insurer-backed venture funds, former Big Insurance executives and private equity. (Reprinted from HEALTH CARE un-covered) Earlier this year, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced plans to begin the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model in 2026. The model will retain private companies currently using AI to process prior authorizations in the private Medicare Advantage (MA) program to use those processes in the traditional Medicare (TM) program on services that will newly require prior authorization or pre-payment review. As we previously published in HEALTH CARE un-covered , the WISeR model is more than just some small administrative update. The new model dramatically shifts how traditional Medicare patients will access care. Under this demonstration program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will let private, for-profit contractors and their AI tools decide whether seniors get treatments their doctors recommend – and those contractors will be paid based on how much care they deny. After months of speculation and anticipation, CMS this week announced the private companies selected to participate in the model beginning January 1, 2026. The six companies selected are Cohere Health, Inc., Genzeon Corporation, Humata Health, Inc., Innovaccer Inc., Virtix Health LLC, and Zyter Inc.. Those six companies now have the ability to decide if seniors or people with disabilities in traditional Medicare get the care recommended by their doctors for 17 medical procedures that previously did not require prior authorization. This is a lot of trust to put in private companies, so we dug more into the ones chosen by CMMI to participate in the model. We previously described how insurers and affiliated venture capital firms use their influence and leverage to “self- deal," in effect creating opportunities to boost their profits. The WISeR program and the participants selected appear to follow the same playbook. Most of the companies CMS selected are backed by insurer-linked venture funds or staffed by former insurance industry executives, including from Elevance, Optum, Kaiser, Highmark, and HCSC. For example, Humata Health lists four venture capital firms backed by insurance companies as key investors: Blue Venture Fund (backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield), Optum Ventures (backed by UnitedHealth Group), LRV Health (backed by over 30 health systems and insurers), and Highmark Ventures (backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield insurer Highmark Health). These concerning ties are replicated in other model participants including Cohere Health, which is funded through venture capital and contract ties to Humana, and Innovaccer, which is funded by Kaiser Permanente and Banner. Several already operate in Medicare Advantage, in which private insurers routinely use prior authorization to delay or deny coverage for needed care. Between the lines: WISeR effectively imports the same harmful machinery into traditional Medicare for the first time in the program’s history. Amplifying this concern is that several are pure technology companies without any medical oversight or leadership. This raises serious questions about how they will comply with state and federal regulations requiring licensed clinical personnel to oversee utilization decisions (for good reason). Precious little is known about other participants. The website of one of the participants, Virtix Health, doesn’t disclose any executives or board members. It doesn’t even list a physical address or phone number, and the last time the company uploaded a news story was in 2021. These are hardly things that inspire the public’s confidence about its legitimacy, let alone entrusting it to oversee the care of Medicare beneficiaries. What is known about Virtix Health is that it offers risk adjustment coding services, such as chart reviews, to MA plans. These chart reviews are used by MA insurers to add medical codes to an enrollee’s chart, making them appear sicker than they are in order to receive a higher payment from the government. Overpayments, driven largely by coding intensity, means MA plans will be paid $84 billion more than traditional Medicare in 2025; cumulative overpayments between 2025-2034 could reach $1.2 trillion. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz pledged in his confirmation hearing to go after excessive coding by insurers, which is at odds with his agency giving a contract for the WISeR model to a company that enables this practice as its main line of business. All this begs the question: How were these companies chosen? It’s an important one, especially given the strong ties between current and past leadership at CMMI and the health insurance and venture capital industries that will profit from this program. We have previously called for the disclosure of financial conflicts of interest in the selection of vendors by health insurers (and in this case CMS, which controls billions of our tax dollars), including any underlying financial relationships with the vendor and/or related investors. CMMI has not disclosed whether or how they managed these potential conflicts of interest in the selection process. The American public deserves to know. A coalition of lawmakers have introduced the Seniors Deserve SMARTER Care Act to stop WISeR before it launches. The lawmakers warn that the model “creates a dangerous incentive to put profits ahead of patients’ health” — and they’re right. At the same time, public confidence in insurers’ use of AI has cratered amid lawsuits and reports of algorithms overriding physicians’ judgment. Even President Trump has blasted insurers as “BIG,”“BAD,” and “money-sucking.” Yet WISeR hands many of these same corporate players a new federal revenue stream — and unprecedented authority over seniors’ care in traditional Medicare, which has historically been a safe haven from Big Insurance meddling in coverage. But now, with CMS barreling toward a January 2026 launch, we know, for the first time, exactly which companies will have that power. Editor's Note: Virtix Health is the company selected by CMS to determine prior authorization In Washington State. Rachel Madley, PhD, is Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health & Democracy. She previously worked for Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. She received her PhD from Columbia University and has written for publications including The New York Times. Seth Glickman, MD, is a former insurance and health system senior executive. He now is a researcher and advocate for reform in the health care finance space. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents August 2025 The One Big Beautiful Billionaire Act: Tax Breaks for the Wealthy Paid for by the Rest of Us Rick Timmins The recently passed Republican budget plan is touted as a reduction in government spending and in taxes, and indeed it succeeds. It drastically reduces spending on social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Education and sets the stage for major cuts in Social Security. The tax reductions significantly benefit wealthy individuals and corporations. The bill is said to be the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the wealthy in American history. So how exactly are we paying to increase the wealth of the American kakistocracy? The bill has hundreds of provisions, stretching over approximately 900 pages, but this article will focus on the most malevolent aspects that will have the greatest impact on healthcare, the environment, and the economy. Healthcare takes a big hit. Sixteen million people will lose their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act or Medicaid, according to the Congressional Budget Office. There will be an increase of 51,000 preventable deaths due to loss of insurance and other aspects of the legislation. Those with the lowest incomes and the greatest needs will suffer the most. Medicaid spending will be reduced by $793 billion over 10 years, and there will be 10.3 million fewer enrollees. A total of 2.3 million Medicaid enrollees, including 1.3 million dual-eligible individuals (those with limited resources who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare), will lose benefits due to delayed implementation of two Biden-era rules designed to reduce administrative barriers. The loss of coverage cascades into the loss of access to the Medical Savings Program and the Low Income Subsidy, which help pay for copays and drugs. Preventable deaths occur when healthcare and medication are inaccessible. Five and a half million people will suffer increased food insecurity by losing SNAP benefits due to reduction in spending for food aid by $300 billion, more stringent rules regarding work requirements, citizenship, and shifting program costs to states. Medicaid cuts of $465 million in 2026 will result in average yearly losses of 56 percent of hospitals’ net income which, in addition to the loss of Medicaid coverage by rural residents, will put 300-500 rural hospitals at risk of closure. The American Hospital Association (AHA) and state-level hospital groups have warned that the act could destabilize access to care in dozens of states, especially in regions already struggling with physician shortages. Medicare does not escape the Republican wrath. Legislative rules mandate that if a bill increases the budget deficit, it must be made up through automatic “sequestration” cuts. The budget increases the deficit by over $3.3 trillion. There is a limitation on Medicare cuts of four percent, amounting to $45 billion in 2026. The CBO estimates the total 10-year cuts would equal $490 billion, which will shorten the viability of the Trust Fund. Our health, of course, is interconnected with the environment, and this bill is dedicated to making it unhealthy. It repeals or phases out most clean energy tax credits introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act, including those for electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, wind farms, and battery storage. It also introduces new taxes on renewable energy infrastructure, while expanding fossil fuel incentives, including credits for domestic coal and oil production. This undermines grid reliability and will increase electricity prices by 19% by 2030 and more than 60% by 2035. This disproportionately affects lower- income Americans. The Billionaire Bill will also result in more forest fires by eliminating $50 million for the management and protection of old-growth forests on National Forest System land. The intent is to cut the funding protecting the forests, open the areas for logging and development, and eliminate the environmental reviews. It is well-established that uncontrolled logging increases fire risk. This bill will reverse recent environmental progress, increase US carbon emissions by up to 574 million metric tons by 2035, potentially lead to the extensive destruction of carbon-sequestering forests, increase pollution from smoke and gas-powered vehicles, and contribute to atmospheric warming, all of which are devastating to health. The Billionaire Bill will also bring us an unhealthy economy. These provisions deliver substantial tax savings for high-income earners and corporations. Analyses show that 70% of the tax benefits flow to the top 20% of earners, with the top 1% alone receiving nearly 20% of the overall relief. Meanwhile, middle-class families see modest gains, and many lower-income households actually lose net benefits due to cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Increasing medical expenses due to loss of insurance or access to medicalcare will further decrease the economic resilience of the majority of Americans. The financial inequity in the country will expand. Because Trump’s budget will add between $3.3 trillion and $4.5 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, debt-to-GDP is now projected to reach 126% by 2034, raising concerns among fiscal conservatives and global investors. Job losses are expected in both the healthcare and clean energy sectors, with estimates suggesting up to one million jobs lost by 2030 due to program cuts and reduced investment. Only the greediest of the top 20% of earners (and the Trump cultists) will consider this bill “Beautiful.” Keep in mind that the crumbs tossed to the rest of us, like eliminating tax on tips or overtime pay, car loan interest deduction, “Trump accounts for kids,” the “bonus deduction” of $6,000 for those over 65 years, are all restricted and phase out in 2028. In conclusion, the Big Billionaire Bill increases the wealth of the richest Americans, takes away healthcare and other essential services from the rest of us, destroys the environment, increases pollution and global warming, and raises the national debt, thereby putting the national economy at risk of inflation and/or recession. Rick Timmins is a member of PSARA's Level the Playing Field Task Force. < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents December 2025 Letter from State Medical Associations: "The WISeR Model expands the burdensome prior authorization processes that physicians already experience in Medicare Advantage" October 31, 2025 Dr. Mehmet Oz Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244 Dear Dr. Oz, On behalf of the undersigned state medical associations, we write to raise concerns about the prior authorization (PA) pilot under the WISeR model as it relates to Medicare. While our organizations appreciate the aim of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase accountability, value in healthcare delivery for Medicare beneficiaries, and reduce spending on services deemed low-value or wasteful, we believe the current design of this pilot risks unintended consequences including delayed care, reduced access, and increased burdens on both patients and physicians. Moreover, we are deeply concerned by both the lack of operational details released to date and the pace at which CMS is advancing a program of this magnitude, particularly one that shifts critical decisions away from physicians and patients – without sufficient transparency, stakeholder input, or evidence it will improve patient care. Administrative burden placing barriers to patient access Our organizations are concerned that the WISeR Model expands the burdensome PA processes that physicians already experience in Medicare Advantage (MA) and the commercial insurance markets into Traditional Medicare. The demonstration represents significant departures from current standards and seems to conflict with CMS’ recent, highly laudable achievement of securing a commitment from the health insurance industry to fix the broken PA process, to include reducing the overall volume of PA requirements. PA has consistently been identified by physicians as one of the most burdensome and disruptive administrative requirements they face in providing quality care to patients. In a 2024 American Medical Association survey, 93 percent of physicians reported that PA causes care delays, 82 percent indicated that the process can lead to treatment abandonment, and an alarming 29 percent said that PA had led to a serious adverse event (hospitalization, disability, or even death) for a patient in their care. Beyond the risk for patient harm, expansion of PA requirements under the WISeR model will exacerbate the administrative burdens already associated with PA. Surveyed physicians reported major burdens associated with this process, with practices completing an average of 39 PAs per physician, per week. This significant workload requires practices to hire additional personnel, with 40 percent of the surveyed physicians reporting that their practice employs staff who work exclusively on PA. Growing evidence linking practice burdens to professional burnout for physicians and other health care professionals underscores the importance of addressing administrative workloads. The introduction of such PA protocols in Traditional Medicare also risks creating unnecessary delays in patient care, increasing practice expenses, and diverting time and resources away from direct patient care. Our organizations recognize that CMS intends to use artificial intelligence and machine learning tools in the WISeR Model to help identify potentially unnecessary services more efficiently and consistently than manual reviews alone. We appreciate that technological advances can appropriately create efficiencies when applied responsibly and transparently. However, reliance on AI and other automated tools raise significant risks if not governed properly. We are also concerned that the vendor incentive structure within the WISeR Model could result in excessive denials motivated more by the potential for vendor profit than by fair and balanced clinical judgment. When third-party entities are paid based on the volume of denied services, there is a clear risk that care that is medically necessary for certain patients will be inappropriately denied in pursuit of savings. Physicians are committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care to Medicare beneficiaries. However, the prior authorization pilot risks creating barriers to care, undermining patient outcomes, and imposing unsustainable administrative demands on practices. We respectfully urge CMS to cease implementation and work collaboratively with stakeholders to design payment processes that protect the Medicare Trust Fund while achieving value, without jeopardizing patient access. Sincerely, James Jameson, MD President, Arizona State Medical Association John Bastulli, MD, FASA President, Ohio State Medical Association Bridget Bush, MD, FASA President, Washington State Medical Association Peter Blumenthal, MD President, Medical Society of New Jersey Sumit Nanda, MD President, Oklahoma State Medical Association < Back to Table of Contents

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents July 2025 Tim Wheeler Reads From His Latest Book No Power Greater: The Life & Times of George A. Meyers Saturday, July 26, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. WSLC Offices, 321 16th Avenue S, Seattle Please join PSARA and our own Tim Wheeler for the Washington state debut of Tim’s latest book, No Power Greater: The Life &Times of George A. Meyers. Tim will read from the book, take questions and comments, and also lead us in song with his trusty autoharp. Copies of No Power Greater will be available for purchase. Tim has generously offered to donate all proceeds from book sales at this event to PSARA. The Retiree Advocate published a review of the book in our May issue. To read the review, go to PSARA.org, click “Newsletter,” then “Advocate Archives,” and search for “202505 May Advocate.” The remainder of this article is an excerpt from this fascinating book: A couple of days before Christmas, 1941, the Maryland Council of the CIO met at a convention in Baltimore. The nation was reeling from the December 7 sneak attack on Pearl Harbor two weeks earlier by Imperial Japan; the US was suddenly plunged into war. Yet even so, sharp partisan politics intruded when the industrial union leaders met in Baltimore. John T. Jones, a leader of the United Mine Workers, had quit as President of the Maryland- DC branch of the CIO. He was following the lead of UMW President, John L. Lewis… John L. Lewis was furious at FDR for rejecting his appeal that he supports the steelworkers in the 1937 “Little Steel” strike marked by the infamous massacre by Chicago police of steel union strikers. Lewis was so angry at FDR that one week before the November 1940 presidential election, Lewis urged union workers to vote for Republican Wendell Wilkie. Lewis vowed that he would resign as CIO President if Roosevelt was reelected. The overwhelming majority of union workers rejected Lewis’ appeal and Roosevelt won in a landslide. Lewis followed through, announcing his resignation as President of the CIO, pulling the UMW out of the CIO. All UMW leaders who held leadership posts in the CIO, including Jones, also resigned. George was chosen unanimously to replace Jones. George Meyers said of his election to lead the Maryland-DC CIO: To my great surprise, at the Council convention…I was unanimously proposed to succeed him. Need- less to say, I was both surprised and honored but only agreed to run if the convention elected an African American as one of our vice presidents. It did, and Joe Neal, a leader of the Steel Local at Sparrows Point near Baltimore, became the first black officer of the Maryland-DC Council. George A. Meyers gave unstinting leadership to the Maryland-DC CIO during his two-year tenure as President. His highest priority was to build labor support for the war effort. For him defeating fascism and organizing unorganized workers were two sides of the same coin... Equally high on the CIO agenda was fighting Jim Crow exclusion of African American workers at plants like Glen L. Martin, Fairchild Aircraft, Beth Steel, the shipyards, and all other jobs in Maryland. Along with fighting racist hiring practices, the CIO demanded equal hiring and equal pay for women workers < Back to Table of Contents