Search Results
Please enter search terms in the box below.   This search is site wide including Retiree Advocate issues from January 2025 forward for pre 2025 issues of the Advocate please go to the Advocate Archives

Local and National Resources for Seniors Resources Labor Organizations Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO Statewide coalition of labor unions for political action and education on workers’ issues Seattle: (206) 281-8901, Olympia: (360) 943-0608 http://www.wslc.org/ County Labor Councils County coalitions of labor unions for collective political and job action: Martin Luther King County Labor Council (206) 441-8510 http://www.mlklabor.org/ Snohomish County Labor Council (425) 259-7922 http://www.snolabor.org/ Pierce County Labor Council (253) 473-3810 http://www.wa.aflcio.org/pcclc/ AFL-CIO America’s Union Movement, national coalition of labor unions http://www.aflcio.org/ Labor Constituency Groups Worker advocates within the labor movement: Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) http://www.apala.org/ A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) http://apri.org/ Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) http://www.cbtu.org/ Labor Alliance for Latin American Advancement (LACLA) https://www.lclaa.org/ Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing (LELO) http://www.lelo.org/ , 206-860-1400 PRIDE at Work http://www.prideatwork.org/ Labor Archives of Washington State Funded by the Washington State Labor Council, the ILWU Longshore Division, the Harry Bridges Labor Center at the University of Washington, and many more labor unions and and individuals. http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/laws/ Senior Services and Information Advisory Council on Aging and Disability Services King County (206) 448-3110 or 1-(888) 435-3377 http://www.agingkingcounty.org/advisory-council/ Pierce County (253) 798-4600 or 1-(800) 562-0332 Snohomish County (425) 513-1900 or 1-(800) 422-2024 https://snohomishcountywa.gov/961/Council-on-Aging Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging http://www.agingwashington.org/ National Alliance for the Mentally Ill 1-(800) 950-6264 http://www.nami.org/ National Council on Aging (NCOA) Nonprofit service and advocacy organization and a voice for older Americans – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged 1-(800) 950-6264 http://www.ncoa.org/ Alzheimers Association Patricia.Hunter@alz.org http://www.alz.org/alzwa/ Crisis Clinic (206) 461-3222 http://www.crisisclinic.org/ Home Doctor Visits Tacoma-based doctors provide home visits in Tacoma and Seattle for homebound patients. Take Medicare allotments. (253) 589-6484 National Advocates Social Security Works National Organization that PSARA works with in the areas of Social Security and Mediare https://socialsecurityworks.org/about/ Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) PSARA works with PNHP on a range of Healthcare issues including Medicare, Medicaid and working for a single payer solution for all. PNHP has a local Chapter. National: https://pnhp.org/ Seattle: www.pnhpwashington.org Community Advocates Washington Community Action Network https://www.washingtoncan.org/ Transit Riders Union https://transitriders.org/ Washington Senior Lobby http://www.waseniorlobby.org/ Tenants Union Support for renters in housing justice (206) 723-0500 http://www.tenantsunion.org/ Government Washington State Toll-free Legislative Hotline Messages to Governor and Legislators 1-(800) 562-6000 Governor Jay Inslee (360) 902-4111 http://www.governor.wa.gov/ Washington State Insurance Commissioner (SHIBA), State Health Insurance Benefits Advisor and Consumer Advocacy 1-(800) 562-6900 cad@oic.wa.gov Washington State Attorney General, Consumer Protection 1-(800) 551-4636 http://www.atg.wa.gov/ City of Seattle Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens (206) 684-0500 Senior Information and Assistance (206) 448-3110 or 1-(888) 324-2277 Federal Senator Maria Cantwell 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building: (202) 224-3441 Local phone: (206) 220-6400 Maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/ Senator Patty Murray 173 Russell Senate Office Building: (202) 224-2721 Local phone (206) 553-5545 http://murray.senate.gov United States Representatives Susan DelBene - District 1 (202) 225-6311 www.house.gov/delbene Pramila Jayapal - District 7 (202) 225-3106 https://jayapal.house.gov/ Kim Schrier - District 8 Phone: (509) 850-5340 http://schrier.house.gov/ Adam Smith - District 9 (253) -896-3775 www.house.gov/adamsmith Marilyn Strickland - District 10 Phone: (360) 459-8514 For other Representatives, search by zip code at http://www.congress.org/news/ Regional Offices King County Information http://metro.kingcounty.gov/ Puget Sound Regional Council http://www.psrc.org/ Sound Transit Information http://www.soundtransit.org/ Port of Seattle Information http://www.portseattle.org/ Medicare 1-(800) 522-31177 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.gov/ Social Security Online http://www.ssa.gov/ Senior Centers Central Area Senior Center (206) 726-4926 North Shore Senior Center (206) 487-24411 Ballard NW Senior Center (206) 297-0403 Senior Center of West Seattle (206) 932-4044 Shoreline Senior Center (206) 365-1536 Southeast Senior Center (206) 722-2768 Other Useful Resources Seattle Housing Authority (206) 615-3300 http://www.seattlehousing.org/ Seattle Senior Housing Program (SSHP) Judith Anderson; Senior Property Manager (206) 615-3347 janderson@seattlehousing.org Noel House Programs (206) 441-3210 http://www.ccsww.org/ New Beginnings (206) 783-4520 or (206) 522-9472 (Crisis Line) http://www.newbegin.org/ WomenHeart http://www.womenheart.org/ Black Women’s Health Imperative http://www.bwhi.org “They Represent You” A nonpartisan resource published by The League of Women Voters http://www.lwv.org/

Previous PSARA Webinars Don’t Let Naked Profiteering Destroy Our Medicare - Webinar Monday, March 20, 2023, 5:00 p.m. F eaturing Dr. Ed Weisbart If You Missed this Interesting and Informative Webinar, Click HERE for a recording. *********** June 2022 Dr. Ed Wesibart webinar on Defending Medicare from ACO Reach https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6TNaj35HMKAKnOqBszVkAPnIVsPN7JsWPur2FCmm3b6MtRUozYbArjtiMGKR43vR._szD7hnhwbdDMfDJ?startTime=1656543630000 On April 21 , 2023, Robby Stern gave an outstanding talk to m embers of the One Payer State Network on the fight to stop the privatization of Medicare. Watch on You Tube HERE PSARA 2022 Winter Membership Meeting with Guest Speakers Bill McKibben and April Sims Recording HERE. Have We Started Building Back Better A PSARA Webinar Featuring Congresswoman Pramilla Jayapal The webinar was on January 25 , 2022 and was excellent. To Watch a recording of this webinar, cli ck here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/U_r0DCFj9fcM_T3cjalJ-9k2KMNb3tD0fbbfTarHd_D-_YYS2IW1tFIGY4NgT-ir.sUDKpnQVT7B6Ipv5 Story Telling With Aunt Mama Stories about the Plaza Hotel and Trump in NewYork, saving Medicare, her barn in eastern Washington... Oh my! https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/8EN-PEhvJi778NVSHeiExlgs34yHTFy3Bs-Nifz2EPEk1zL22c7tXh-R8X0Xd7gU.RTEuPTBtrqkm5gwY A Very Special PSARA Event - A Webinar about Reparations Dr. Ron Daniels, the founder and president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) spoke about the long struggle for justice for Black Americans. If you missed this excellent webinar on Nov. 19, or would just like to listen again, go to this link: Reparations Defending Democracy in a Period of Far Right Insurrection by Leonard Zeskin and Devin Burghart https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/onS3iwBMPPI_QunOz7T6ecxct93_CmpMUeA9dixGSSe7iGQDhiKR626sikqeJOCJ.7FCibith0t7vCLW7?startTime=1632441625000

How To Make America Sick The Trump administration’s plan to “Make America Healthy Again” will make Americans’ health worse. Donald M. Berwick In the Advocate August 2025: Donald M. Berwick, MD. How To Make America Sick The Trump administration’s plan to “Make America Healthy Again” will make Americans’ health worse. Donald M. Berwick, MD. Reprinted from the Center for American Progress website. It might seem obvious that the United States, the wealthiest country on earth, would have the best health and health care. But we do not. Not even close. So when President Donald Trump, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and their allies in Congress propose to “Make America Healthy Again,” it’s easy to get on board. The trouble is that their plan won’t work. In fact, it will make Americans’ health worse. They are currently proposing to cut Medicaid and Medicare, decimate public health structures, withdraw support for food security and other basic needs, and harm the environment all of which is dead wrong from a scientific viewpoint. There is no disputing that America’s health care system needs a dramatic overhaul. U.S. life expectancy ranks 49th globally at more than four years lower than that of the world’s healthiest countries. Our children’s health ranks 36th among the 38 richest nations. Not a single U.S. state has an average life expectancy longer than that of comparably wealthy nations. If the goal is to make America as healthy as other wealthy nations, it would be hard to do worse than we are doing right now. And for that terrible performance, the United States spends twice as much per capita on health care as the average wealthy country—with more than 110 million Americans struggling with medical debt. So, yes, by all means, let’s “make America healthy.” However, unlike how the Trump administration and RFK Jr. are going about it, doing so requires following the science. In 2015, the revered British epidemiologist Michael Marmot wrote “The Health Gap,” arguably the best playbook for making any country healthier. The book summarizes decades of research on why health varies enormously among places with ostensibly similar conditions. The gap in health outcomes can be between nations, between sub- groups within nations, and even across the tracks in a single city. For example, Black Americans had a lifespan six years shorter than that of white Americans in 2021; residents of west Chicago live 14 years less than residents of the Chicago Loop; and across the city of Boston, lifespan varies by more than two decades. Marmot sorts known causes of health gaps into buckets including early childhood experiences, education, workplace conditions, supports to the elderly, and community “resilience”; he also looks at the impact of attributes such as food security, housing security, transportation systems, clean air, compassionate criminal justice systems, and recreational opportunities. Through that lens, a scientifically guided plan for “making America healthy” is simple to devise: Invest in what drives health. This is why what RFK Jr. and the Trump administration are doing makes no sense. Watch the administration, and it would be hard to find a better way to “make America sick.” It’s like “opposite day”: Every single component of the Marmot playbook is being not only neglected but controverted through the administration’s actions. Let’s run the list. Kids Healthy societies tend to place their bets on safe perinatal care, strong supports for the early years—say, from birth to age 3—and school readiness, which means not only helping children but also their parents. Contrast that with the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act that instead cuts food stamps by nearly $300 billion and enacts a historic $793 billion cut to Medic- aid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which cover 50 percent of the children in America. Education People in countries and regions with strong educational systems, especially those that include girls and women, tend to live longer. Overall, the U.S. education system ranks 31st in the world, and it varies widely, with many schools performing poorly and many students underachieving. This is neither the teachers’ fault nor the students’. It boils down to ensuring that all children and youth, regardless of where they live or how wealthy their families are, have access to the highest quality education. The proper response would be to pour resources into delivering on that promise. On the contrary, the Trump administration’s plan calls for slashing funding for the Department of Education, cutting support to K-12 programs, and eliminating federal subsidies for student loans. Workers Job security is also foundational to national health. Unionization, which has been backwatered in the United States, is one straight shot to improving worker power. So is raising the federal minimum wage far above its embarrassingly low level of $7.25 per hour, instituting stronger legal protections for workers’ rights, and establishing more equity in tax and compensation policies. The Trump administration, meanwhile, seeks to abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, hamstring the Department of Labor, reduce bargaining rights for federal workers, weaken worker protections, and cut the essential food assistance and health care programs that the working class relies on, all to give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Seniors How a nation supports its aging and elderly population affects not only how long and well its older citizens live, but also the health and well-being of a country’s entire population. The Trump administration claims to want to protect Medicare—a mainstay of security for those age 65 and older in the country—but study the details of what the president and his congressional allies are doing so far, and you will find steadily weakening protections for coverage, reduced access to care, and thousands of dollars more in out-of-pocket costs. For example, Medicaid, which has been torpedoed by the Trump-signed reconciliation bill, is the primary payer for 63 percent of people in nursing homes. Where are the elderly Americans who rely on that care supposed to go? Communities Healthy communities help ensure access to nutrition, housing, safety, mobility, and opportunity for everyone. The Trump administration is already weakening every one of those things and is poised to damage them further. The administration is hurting public transportation systems and rolling back environmental controls for particulate air pollution. It is also publicly in favor of coal and against wind power, against public housing expansion, against mental health supports to help reduce violence, and has backpedaled on criminal justice reform. Conclusion President Trump and Secretary Kennedy can preach all they want about making us healthy again, but their rhetoric is no substitute for facts. The right way to “Make America Healthy Again” is to invest in the infrastructure, programs, and priorities that we know, based on scientific evidence, will actually improve health—the very same ones that the Trump administration seems intent on destroying. Donald M. Berwick, MD, is President Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and a former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

In the Advocate May 2025: Lisa Dekker North Olympic Peninsula 2025: Rural Resistance! Lisa Dekker Like the rest of Washington State, Clallam County and the Peninsula are reeling from the harms happening now – and those yet to come – from this corrupt regime and their flagrant refusal to follow the law. But we are not taking this lying down. Our residents and our leaders are determined to resist. Olympic National Park, just outside Port Angeles, gets thousands of visitors each year and is an economic engine for the region. It was already unable to meet basic maintenance needs, and reduced staffing will make it worse. In addition, although $80 million was al- ready allocated by Congress to replace the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge that burned down in 2023, delivery of those dollars is now uncertain. For many years Port Angeles has been a gateway for Canadian visitors via the Coho/BlackBall Ferry that connects us to Victoria, B.C., just 12 miles away. But now, the absurd tariffs and territorial threats coming from #47 have resulted in an understandable backlash of Canadians deciding not to spend their tourist dollars here. This will have grave economic consequences for our restaurants, hotels, and small businesses this summer unless the tariffs are undone. Likely the most unconscionable harms to individuals here would be the drastic cuts to Medicaid in the current Republican budget. With 20 percent of our adults and more than 37 percent of our children dependent on Medicaid in Clallam County alone, the devastation would be felt by thousands here on the Peninsula. So how are we fighting back? There have been sizeable rallies in Port Ange- les, Sequim, and Port Townsend (Jefferson County) that have many new faces and an enthusiastic response from the community. Indivisible Sequim, first begun in 2016, has had a surge of new members and has backed several rallies. One of the largest gatherings in Port Angeles, and the one with the most young people, was a raucous and upbeat march supporting the Olympic National Park and Park staffers who had been abruptly laid off. Clallam Democrats have become re-energized. With the leadership of their Chair, PSARA member Ellen Menshew, they have hosted timely forums and promoted many rallies. With a new online newsletter, Clallam Democrats Rising, plus a blog, a presence on Substack and Blue Sky, and an events calendar, the Dems are keeping members informed and involved. Our three County Commissioners even did their bit with a letter to Senators Murray and Cantwell and Congresswoman Emily Randall, reminding them of the impacts being felt here and asking that they “do all that they can to support our community.” We don’t know what’s next, but here in the northwest corner, we saw that despair became righteous anger, then hope, and now resistance. We are determined to fight back. Lisa Dekker is PSARA's Co-VP for Outreach and a leader of PSARA's Clallam County organizing committee. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

One Big Beautiful Bill, One Big Beautiful Billionaires Act, Rick Timmins In the Advocate August 2025: Rick Timmins 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 THE ADVOCATE

In the Advocate May 2025: Steve Kofahl Social Security Attacks Continue Steve Kofahl It seems that nearly every day we learn about a disturbing new aspect of the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on Social Security, the Social Security Administration (SSA), and SSA employees. I write this on May 12, with a Washington Post piece (“The hidden ways Trump and DOGE are shutting down parts of the government”) in today’s Seattle Times. The article reveals that some SSA employees are running out of pens, paper, and printer toner because the US DOGE Service, on February 26, placed a $1 spending limit on each government-issue credit card that managers use to make purchases and pay for services. They cannot pay their phone bills, or for translation services, for example. Less than a dozen people at SSA, an agency with 1,300 work locations, are now authorized to make decisions on any purchase requests, causing lengthy backlogs and delays. How’s that for making government more efficient? Less than a week ago, Wall Street billionaire Frank Bisignano was confirmed 53-47 by the Senate to serve until January 2031 as SSA Commissioner. A self- described “DOGE person,” he was called out by the usually mild-mannered Oregon Senator Ron Wyden for lying to the Senate Finance Committee, when he denied having worked with DOGE and Trump’s Acting SSA Commissioner, Leland Dudek, for months before his confirmation. It was during this time that the SSA website crashed 3 times in 10 days, in March. Bisignano, who comes with a reputation for slashing jobs and treating workers disrespect- fully, has said that he intends to replace SSA 800-number agents with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Speaking of AI, SSA has already been utilizing it to some extent in the disability determination process. The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) has formed a task force that issued a report last month citing a number of concerns. One is the presence of bias in medical care and in medical record-keeping. How do we identify and mitigate it? NASI believes it imperative that hu- mans make the adjudicative decisions, including whether to obtain additional existing medical evidence or request a consultative exam paid for by SSA. SSA had more than 84,000 employ- ees in 1980, compared to about 50,000 today, with half as many Americans receiving benefits compared with today. Each of 1,200+ field offices had at least one SSA field representative to reach those who lived far from an office and needed a home visit, or to be served at one of the Agency’s hundreds of con- tact stations (sites like courthouses and social service agencies, most at no cost to SSA). They also made presentations to educate people about SSA programs. There are no more contact stations, and no more field representatives. With SSA having largely withdrawn from communities across our nation, it shouldn’t surprise us that lies about Social Security are believed by too many Americans. Why else would anyone agree with Elon Musk that Social Security is a 90-year Ponzi scheme, that benefits are being paid on the records of 150-year-olds, or that undocumented workers are receiving payments (they’re not!)? Incorrect payments, which include underpayments as well as overpayments, are about 1 percent of total benefits paid. Incorrect payments (which could be greatly reduced by restoring staff) and fraudulent payments are not the same thing, and there is, in fact, very little fraud. Reports of changes that affect eligibility or payment amount are received by SSA, but often go unworked for many months due to job cuts. Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, which restored benefits for public retirees who had been subject to Government Pension Offset or the Windfall Elimination Provision, is also being slowed by staffing losses. Nearly three mil- lion records require adjustment, but some won’t be processed for a year. Of 182,000 new applications filed by those who hadn’t applied previously because no payments were due before the law was changed, 15 percent have not been processed. The Trump administration intends to strip all civil service and union rights from about 20 percent of the SSA workforce, including the Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) who conduct dis- ability hearings and render decisions. That would make it easy to intimidate or remove ALJs who allegedly approve too many cases. Thankfully, we have been getting some help from the courts and others. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to block DOGE from accessing the sensitive personal information in SSA records. On May 7, 15 House Republicans (none from Washington) wrote to Bisignano to express concerns about staff cuts and office closures. Two days later, another judge issued a two-week temporary restraining order blocking implementation of a February 11 executive order directing major “reorganizations” at SSA and 19 other agencies. The Administration appealed to the 9th Circuit within hours. H.R. 2550, the Protecting Ameri- ca’s Workforce Act, which would restore federal employee rights that have been stripped away, already has 220 House co-sponsors. We have a long and difficult fight on our hands, but we can and must win it. We have to pull back the curtain and reveal what’s really going on in the other Washington, reach out wherever possible to tell the story to others, and take action by attending rallies and/or calling members of Congress from both parties. Steve Kofahl is a former President of AFGE 3937, representing Social Security workers, a member of PSARA's Executive Board, and Co-Chair of PSARA's Social Security Task Force. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

In the Advocate May 2025: We Remember Iris Rosechild Editor's Note: The Advocate mourns the passing of our friend and colleague Iris Rosechild. Iris volunteered as a proofreader for the Advocate for many years, and her way with words made the Advocate a better publication. She always kept us laughing and was a pleasure to work with. We'd like to share a remembrance of Iris by her friend Carla. Iris Rosechild, born Iris Chaya Golub in Brooklyn, New York, Oct. 27, 1943, died at the age of 81 in Seattle in the hospital, nine days after a fall in her apartment. Her father, Barry Golub, came from Russia when he was 11 to join his father here in America. He was an interior house painter, and his father was a tailor. Her mother, Rose Golub, was a housewife and the first generation from Austria. Rose and Barry spoke Yiddish to each other and were Socialists. Iris was the youngest of six daughters. Her Jewish identity was very important to her. Iris left home at 17 to be a bohemian with her boyfriend in Greenwich Village. Her favorite place was the Caricatura coffee house. She moved to the Haight Ashbury in San Francisco in the 60’s, became a flower child, and protested the Vietnam War. Eventually she moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington and graduated with a BA in Women’s Studies. She was the first coordinator of the Feminist Therapy Referral Service, which was started by her partner, Cameron Justam, in 1976. Before that she was a counselor at the YWCA. Iris had a small business selling fashionable hats called Mad about Hats in the Bon Marché in downtown Seattle. She also sold socks in a business called Café Socks in Pike Place Market and in the former Broadway Market on Capitol Hill. She returned to New York to take care of her father and her sister who were dying. She earned a Master’s in Grief Counseling at Pace University. She got a job as a counselor in New York helping the homeless find permanent housing. She loved her job but quit to return to Seattle and Cameron. She did proofreading since 2018 for the Retiree Advocate, where her keen sense of the rhythm of words was appreciated. This was just one of her many volunteer commitments. She volunteered for the Seattle International Film Festival, the Seattle Jewish Film Festival, as well as Seattle Town Hall. She and Cameron have been in a lesbian film group for five years. She had an inimitable sense of style in everything she did. She had a signature sense of humor. She made great chicken soup. She was a reader and big library user. She was warm and caring for other human beings. She was a big animal lover. Her most recent pet, Cozmo, was a three-legged orange female cat who Iris doted on. Iris is survived by two sisters, Dorian and Ruth, four nieces, one nephew, and her partner of 49 years, Cameron. BACK TO THE ADVOCATE

Become a PSARA member today or renew your membership. Membership, Renewals & Donations Join us in our work to make retirement real for all generations and in our fight for social justice, economic security, dignity and a healthy planet for all of us. Basic Membership $20/year Supporting membership – $50/year Sponsoring membership – $100/year To become a PSARA Member, Renew your Membership or Make a Donation chose one of the following options. By Credit Card: Click on this link to take you to an Act Blue page where you can choose the amount. Gift Membership: If you are giving a gift membership online, please write in the “note” box field during checkout the following items for the person receiving the gift: First and Last Name, Email and phone number, Address (if possible). Click here if you are interested in making a tax deductible contributionto the PSARA’s 501C Education Fund.

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 CMS’s chosen WISeR vendors include firms tied to insurer-backed venture funds, former Big Insurance executives and private equity. By Seth Glickman, MD, and Rachel Madley, PhD (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 Retiree Advocate Balcony Solar: Simple, Do-It-Yourself Solar Power Anne Shields Why is Residential Solar So Expensive in the US ? The costs of permitting and fees for rooftop solar are much higher in the US than in Europe or Australia due to fragmented, varying local requirements that create inefficiencies and delays. The difference is dramatic: a technical report from Tesla’s think tank outlines why US rooftop installation costs are three times higher than costs in Germany. Several studies report that inflated costs in the US are primarily due to the ”soft costs” in rooftop solar, which account for around 60 percent of total installation costs. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) identifies numerous categories of soft costs, including permitting, inspection and utility interconnection, installation labor, sales tax, overhead, net profit margins, and marketing. The US residential solar industry has entered a new era as federal tax credits for rooftop solar will expire on December 31, 2025. With the federal Investment phasing out at the end of 2025, most industry analysts anticipate a short-term decline, but it is far from a death knell for the industry. After all, while incentives may fade, energy demand is projected to rise sharply over the next few years and decades. McKinsey Consulting projects that total US electricity demand will rise by nearly 25 percent by 2030. That growth cannot be met without expanding solar energy generation through smaller, localized systems. What is “Balcony” Plug-in, Portable Solar? Balcony solar is a simple, do-it- yourself, “plug-and-play” solar panel and device that can be installed easily without an electrician. Plug-in is a more accurate term than balcony for these portable systems because they can be installed on a deck, a carport, an RV, or almost any stable surface. In a plug-in system, the solar panel is connected to a device that converts solar power to electricity and is plugged into a standard 120V outlet. The system can provide up to 800 watts, enough to run a small fridge or a laptop. A plug-in system is affordable because it avoids almost all the costs associated with rooftop solar installation. Renters can purchase, install, and take the portable panels and system along if they move. In March 2025, Utah became the first state to pass legislation allowing plug- in solar systems. Utah’s Solar Power Amendment passed with overwhelm- ing bipartisan support, allowing Utah residents to connect their systems directly to 120V outlets without permits, inspections, interconnection applications, or utility fees. Utah requires that plug-in systems meet nationally recognized electrical code standards and safety certification standards. At least six states are following Utah’s lead with new regulations allowing plug-in solar. Legislators in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Vermont will review bills allowing plug-in solar during their respective legislative sessions. At the time of this writing, it has not been established whether Washington State legislators might pursue legislation allowing plug-in solar during the 2026 short session, but it is clear that state legislation will be necessary. Construction and solar permitting websites for numerous counties and cities explicitly state that “balcony solar is illegal in Washington State,” referring the reader to state building codes. Anne Shields is a member of PSARA's Climate and Environmental Justice Committee. Back to the Advocate Table of Contents

The Retiree ADVOCATE The Monthly Publication of PSARA EDUCATION FUND “Uniting Generations for a Secure Future” January 1, 2026 Inside CMS’s Troubling WISeR Vendor List and the Power It Hands to Private Contractors By Seth Glickman, MD, and Rachel Madley, PhD Read More Fossil Fuels Have Put Us in an Existential Fix Jefl Johnson Jeff Johnson continues his writing on divestment from fossil fuels with an article titled "Fossil Fuels Have Put Us in an Existential Fix." Read More Report from PSARA’s Second Annual Public Discussion in Tacoma Dan Grey Dan Grey reports on PSARA's second annual public discussion in Tacoma. Read More Trump Administration Abandons Attack on Older Disabled Americans Steve Kofahl Steve Kofahl analyzes the Trump administration's retreat from planned attacks on older disabled Americans. Read More Building Community Power Jay Stansell Jay Stansell from the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice teaches us how to build community power. Read More PSARA 2026 Legislative Agenda PSARA's Government Relations Committee debuts our 2026 Legislative Agenda. Read More Book Review: The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests, by Lynda V. Mapes Lisa Dekker Lisa Dekker reviews the book The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests. Read More Balcony Solar: Simple, Do-It-Yourself Solar Power Anne Shields Anne Shields explains simple, do-it-yourself solar power technology. Read More US House Returns to the 1950s with “Anti-Socialist” Resolution 86 Dems join GOP to Condemn the “Horrors of Socialism” Mike Andrew Mike Andrew reports on a US House resolution "condemning the horrors of socialism." Read More

The Retire Advocate < Back to Table of Contents January 2026 PSARA 2026 Legislative Agenda Click here to download PSARA Leg. Agenda pdf Click here to download talking Points PSARA is a multi-generational grass roots organization advocating for all people, and seniors in particular, being able to live their lives with economic security, dignity, and respect. Healthcare PSARA believes that comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate health care is a fundamental human right. Promote Leveling the Playing Field in Medicare, SJM 8002 Protect against healthcare program cuts and advance immigrant health equity and food security (budget) Regulate the use of Prior Authorization in healthcare decisions, SB 5395 / HB 1566 Climate and Environmental Justice PSARA supports the right of all people to live and work in a clean and healthy environment. Divest Washington State Investment Board funds from fossil fuels, No Coal Act SB 5439 Increase environmental justice by improving government decisions, Curb Act HB 1303 / SB 5380 Create standards for Data Center operations Fiscal Reform and Revenue PSARA supports a state budget that is transparent, pays a living wage to state workers, and provides services that help our people, economy, and environment thrive. Support progressive revenue HB 2100 Well Washington Fund Housing and Homelessness PSARA supports keeping people housed, building more low-income housing, and preventing homelessness in the first place. Workers’ Rights and Economic Justice PSARA supports legislation that promotes healthy families and workplaces. Extend unemployment benefits to undocumented workers SB 5626 / HB 1773 Expand Working Families Tax Credit HB 1214 / SB 5768 Strengthen Paid Family & Medical Leave financing Promote Washington Future Fund pilot (Baby Bonds) SB 5541 Provide greater security to Washington workers against ICE practices on the job (Immigrant Worker Protection Act) SB 5822 / HB 2015 Community Safety and Justice PSARA supports legislation that promotes community safety and justice for all of our community members. Ensure proper identification of law enforcement (No Secret Police Act) SB 5855 / HB 2173 < Back to Table of Contents