Harry Kiesler

Legislative News … Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

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This month, we have three points on which AARP would like us to take a stand.  The first one is about prescription drug prices and there are two bills, one being the “Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019” or the “CREATES Act of 2019”, or H.R. 965 (Rep David Ciciline, D-RI) and the other is “Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019”, or H.R. 1499 (Rep Robert Rush, D-IL).  AARP has started a campaign to let Representatives know this is what we want and we need.  AARP is asking us to help by talking to our Representatives.  Be sure to ask them if they are willing to co-sponsor and support either of these bills.

AARP and our 38 million members across the country are taking on the drug companies in Washington and every state with TV, digital and radio advertising, grassroots action, social media, events, and more.  This is important for us.  This is not just the two bills in Congress, but a fight for our ability to continue to afford our medications

The second point is age discrimination.  This is a fight to be able to work and have the same rights as younger workers, basically, fairness for all workers, regardless of age.  AARP fully supports H.R.1230 (Rep Robert Scott, D-VA) and S.B. 485 (Sen Robert Casey, D-PA), the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), a bipartisan bill.  These bills would restore our ability to fight against age discrimination by making age just a factor, not the primary factor of the discrimination.  Again, AARP is asking us to talk to our Representatives and Senators to cosponsor and support these bills.

The last point for us to make a stand is H.R.2073 (Rep Katie Porter, D-CA), a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the 7.5 percent adjusted gross income floor for the medical expense deduction.  AARP is supporting the bill because it would to keep the threshold for the deduction as low as possible to help protect people with high medical costs.  We need to call our representatives to get them to cosponsor and support this bill.

We need to take a stand on these issues to protect our rights, our way of life and our ability to afford it.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who are mothers and have mothers!

Happy Memorial Day to one and all!  All gave some, some gave all.  In remembrance of those who gave all.

Community Service … Leona Fails

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Caregivers Count: 9th Annual Conference for families & friends caring for a loved one.  Topics include:  Humor Heals Hopelessness, Coping with grief & loss, Long term care options.  Saturday May 18, 8:30 am to 2 pm, Campbell Community Center, Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 West Campbell Ave., Campbell, CA 95008. $15.00 (includes admission & lunch), Registration required online, mail, or by phone 408-866-2147.  Checks payable to CPRS-District 4.  Sponsored by Aging Services Collaborative of Santa Clara County.

Opportunity Drawing … Sharon and Paul Levine

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Three Tickets for $1.00 – May 21, 2019

MOD Pizza in Campbell

$25 Gift Card

(Thanks to Angie Jaggars)

Adelita’s Taqueria Restaurant in Campbell

$8 Gift  Card

(Thanks to Angie Jaggers)

Campbell Express

(Thanks to Stephon Hansen)

Good Luck

April Opportunity Drawing Winners:

Mod Pizza $25 gift card winner was Don Peterson

Best Taste Restaurant $10 gift card winner was Jane Seeds

Mystery Prize (chocolates) winner was Sue McMillin

President … Ken Schieck

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Welcome to the month of April, the first full month of the spring season. During this month, we celebrate Passover, Easter, and the IRS! Last week, I and a few Board members toured the new AARP regional office on St. John Street in San Jose. When going there, I was reminded why I am grateful for the County Light Rail System!

The state AARP is advocating for what they call an age-friendly network (AFN) of livable communities, which include San Jose, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, and, hopefully, Campbell. They want to promote what they call the “8 domains of livability,” which include: (1) Transportation, (2) Housing, (3) Social Participation, (4) Respect and Social Inclusion, (5) Civic Participation and Engagement, (6) Communication and Information, (7) Community Support and Health Services, and (8) Outdoor Spaces and Buildings. More information will be forthcoming.

Remember that our chapter is still seeking a Vice- President.

Program … Paddy Wray

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Are you becoming lazy and non-productive, or are you looking at the clock and wondering where your day has gone? We are going to present a panel that will provide you with new and varied options to get involved — Tina Wong’s staff (re the Campbell Recreation and Community Services Department), Liz Gibbons (re miscellaneous opportunities), Steve Kline (board aide to Supervisor Susan Ellenberg), and Sharon Levine (re book-club participation). We also would like to hear what you’re involved with that may interest other members of our group, so please come prepared to share!

Nominations … Jan Delucchi

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To the members of our Chapter: we are asking you to volunteer for some very important positions to keep our Chapter running. It is up to you now. PLEASE call me, 408-379-7587, or email me at gmomjan1@sbcglobal.net, or see me at the next Chapter meeting to see how you can help. We have been a Chapter for over 20 years because our members volunteered when needed.

Eliminating AARP Snail Mail…Angie Jaggars

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If you no longer wish to receive certain mailings from National AARP, follow these instructions:

  1. Call the phone number on the back of your membership card.
  2. Say “suppress” to be connected with a representative.
  3. State what mailings you are no longer interested in — be specific, i.e., car insurance, health insurance, life insurance, etc.

Allow 12 weeks for processing.

Legislative News … Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

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On the AARP front, survey results are being released in conjunction with the launch of AARP’s national campaign to convince federal and state lawmakers to curb out-of-sight prescription drug prices. The “Stop Rx Greed” campaign will promote AARP’s four solutions to runaway drug costs. Stop price gouging by allowing Medicare and states to use their vast buying powers to negotiate for lower drug prices and allowing state attorneys general to take legal action against drug manufacturers for excessive drug price hikes.

  • Stop price gouging by allowing Medicare and states to use their vast buying powers to negotiate for lower drug prices and allowing state attorneys general to take legal action against drug manufacturers for excessive drug price hikes.
  • Increase access and affordability of prescription drugs by capping out-of-pocket costs for consumers, expanding the availability of state pharmaceutical assistance programs, allowing states to safely import prescription drugs from other countries and protecting a recent Medicare improvement that helps beneficiaries with high prescription-drug costs.
  • Close loopholes that allow drug manufacturers to delay or even block the development of lower-cost generics, and ban deals that allow pharmaceutical companies to pay generic firms not to bring a competing product to market.
  • Support laws that promote transparency by requiring drug makers to justify dramatic price increases.

“Americans are paying the highest prescription drug prices in the world,” says Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer. “It’s time for pharmaceutical companies to stop deflecting blame and acknowledge that the root cause is the price they set for their products.”

AARP is encouraging us to focus on this campaign and get updates on this and other federal campaigns by going to action.aarp.org to sign up for the alerts.