Category: Retirement Matters

By Joanne Bump Assisted Living Evictions — During the early years of retirement, most middle-income seniors don’t assume they will ever need Medicaid. However, Medicaid (health care for those with low incomes) is the primary payer of long-term care (LTC) services in the United States. Nearly 4.4 million Americans have LTC that is paid for by… Read more

By Joanne Bump Nurse Shortage — As retirees age and develop chronic health conditions, they depend on staff from all phases of the health care system. According to a new University of Michigan study 39 percent of Michigan nurses plan to quit in a year. Hospitals have been struggling for years to hire sufficient health care workers to… Read more

By Joanne Bump Debt Ceiling Limit — Last month’s SERA-Nade discussed how the 2023 GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is insisting on steep cuts to Social Security and Medicare, in exchange for their vote to increase the U.S. debt ceiling. But the U.S. Treasury may be able to keep sending out retirees’ Social Security benefit checks and Medicare… Read more

By Joanne Bump Debt Ceiling — You may have heard about the debt ceiling controversy on the news but are interested in how it could affect retirees. The debt ceiling was already reached on January 19, 2023, the federal government having spent up to the limit of $31.4 trillion. To buy time until June 2023, the… Read more

By Joanne Bump Saving Enough? — “The Real Deal for the Public Sector” is a recent report from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) and Aon. Their research finds that pension plans alone are not providing an adequate retirement income for state and local government employees. This analysis assumes the retiree receives the typical public… Read more

By Joanne Bump The Stars Align — Over the past decades, the thought of driving over Michigan roads free from potholes has been music to our ears, if not to our car repairs. But, fixing the roads has seemed nearly impossible for decades. Michigan’s GOP-led Legislature didn’t enact Governor Whitmer’s 2019 proposed 45-cent motor fuel tax… Read more

By Joanne Bump Silver Tsunami — There is a slow-moving crisis, called the silver tsunami, that is paralyzing states, counties, cities, and towns across the U.S., leaving governments unable to provide the most basic services due to public worker shortages. Services like trash pickup and school bus rides are not getting done. The situation is worse… Read more

By Joanne Bump Hearing Loss — An estimated 40 million Americans aged 50 and over have hearing loss and cope with the heavy social, emotional, and health issues that result. For example, hearing impairment can reduce your quality of life by making you feel a sense of insecurity, lead to social isolation, and puts you at… Read more

By Joanne Bump Lower Drug Prices — The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), just enacted last month, is a historic legislative victory for seniors. Its importance is substantial and can’t be over stated. It finally provides Medicare with the authority to negotiate prescription drug prices which will have unprecedented impact on heading off the insolvency projected for… Read more

By Joanne Bump Lower Drug Prices — The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), just enacted last month, is a historic legislative victory for seniors. Its importance is substantial and can’t be over stated. It finally provides Medicare with the authority to negotiate prescription drug prices which will have unprecedented impact on heading off the insolvency projected for… Read more