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SHINE offers help to seniors
The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) and Medicare Advantage Plans (MA) open enrollment period is just a few days away (Oct. 15 through Dec. 7), so now is the time for Florida seniors to review their current health care…
Government shutdown may drive more young Christians from GOP
How does one deem a government worker “non-essential”? It’s difficult to say, but 800,000 of them were sent home last week. The ripples of the government shutdown are far-reaching, affecting mail delivery, Social Security, Medicare, national parks, and the IRS. Even the…
Federal workers get 60 percent of check on Friday
When federal workers are paid as scheduled Friday, they will get only 60 percent of their normal amounts. Their pay will be based on time worked from Sept. 22 to Sept. 30, the end of the federal budget year. For most…
Shutdown affecting federal courthouses
Dozens of central Illinois residents who are fighting for their Social Security benefits are among those affected by the government shutdown. In response to the partisan fight in Washington, D.C., federal Judge James Shadid, chief of Illinois’ central district, halted proceedings…
USDA closed due to shutdown
Area farmers interested in enrolling in conservation programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Natural Resources Conservation Service will have to wait until the partial government shutdown is over. People attempting to stop by the office have been greeted…
Obamacare’s Next Round
For all the acrimony in Washington over Obamacare, there’s an intriguing consensus around one issue: the ratchet effect. Neither side uses the term, but both the right and left treat it as an article of faith. The term was coined by…
Will you get your Social Security check if the US defaults?
President Barack Obama warned that Social Security benefits might not go out “on time” if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling. Should seniors and disabled American be worried about their benefits if the U.S. government runs out of borrowing capacity…
US Budget And Debt Talks To Focus On Cutting Social Security
Obama administration spokesmen and congressional Republicans indicated Sunday they were preparing to shift the focus of the ongoing Washington budget and debt discussions to the major entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare. Democrats and Republicans are using the partial shutdown…
Applying for SSI Benefits for a Child with Autism
Some children who live with autism may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, or SSI. The condition, however, must meet a certain level of severity in order for a child to qualify. Children with severe forms of autism will qualify for…
SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS IN JEOPARDY
The Social Security Administration has begun warning the public it cannot guarantee full benefit payments if the debt ceiling isn’t increased. When asked by the public, the agency is notifying beneficiaries that “Unlike a federal shutdown which has no impact on…