ProtectSeniors.Org
ProtectSeniors.Org is a Washington, D.C. based lobbying group founded in 2006 to advocate for older Americans. ProtectSeniors.Org is dedicated to the interests of corporate retirees in the United States. The group represents 14.3 million retirees from 392 companies, 45 labor union locals, 98 municipal, state and federal retiree groups and 16 associations.
The organization has concerns that employers are legally allowed to retroactively change retirement agreements despite those former employees accepting these agreements in lieu of higher salaries or hourly wages, and less vacation time.
ProtectSeniors.Org lobbies for retiree-friendly legislation, specifically the Earned Retiree Healthcare Benefits Protection Act (H. R. 1322).
H.R. 1322 would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) requiring sponsors of group health plans to restore health benefits previously taken away from plan participants to the extent such benefits were cancelled or altered after their retirement.
Among notable events the organization has led, in September 2006, ProtectSeniors.Org coordinated a 2,000 mile mobile billboard caravan in support of the act that traveled through seven states and the District of Columbia.
Portions of H.R. 1322 were included in early versions of 2010's National Healthcare Reform, but were subsequently removed leaving American retirees unprotected under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed on March 17, 2010. The new healthcare law actually gives companies an incentive to discontinue certain retiree benefits because a tax provision in the law no longer allows companies to deduct subsidies for healthcare coverage from their balance sheets.
ProtectSeniors.Org was founded by Verizon retiree members of the Association of BellTel Retirees.
References
- Labor Press - Retirees Concerns with Healthcare Reform Act - March 22, 2011
- Independent News - Protect Retiree Benefits - March 10, 2011
- Podcast of Paul Miller Interview February 9, 2011 on WOCA-1370AM, FL
- Bergen Record -Retirees brace for higher health care costs - November 28, 2010
- Podcast of Bill Jones Interview on WOCA-1370AM, FL
Press releases
- Retirees Mark Unhappy 1st Anniversary of Healthcare Reform
- ProtectSeniors.Org announces its plans for 2011
- Majority of Retirees Forecast End to the "American Dream."
- Senate Healthcare Bill A Lump of Coal For America's Retirees on Christmas Eve.
- Retirees Call Proposal For Nationalized Health Care A Back Door Bail Out for Corporate America.
- Retirees Applaud GOP's "Bill of Rights for Seniors" Proposal to Protect Retiree Healthcare.
- The New Jersey State AFL-CIO endorses H.R. 1322.
- ProtectSeniors.Org Issues Press Release on Introduction of H.R. 1322 into 111th Congress. Why Are AIG’s Promises to Employees Sacred, While Others Are Not? March 18, 2009
- Congress Needs to Act Now to Prevent a Health Care Disaster - January 6, 2009
- Testimony of C. William Jones -ProtectSeniors.Org -Before The U.S. House of Representatives- Committee on Education & Labor- Hearing on Safeguarding Retiree Health Benefits -Thursday, September 25, 2008
- National Mobile Billboard Advertising Campaign Kick Off September 18, 2006
- ProtectSeniors.Org Hires Washington Lobbyist March 27, 2006
- New Organization Launched to Aid Retirees March 1, 2006
External links
- Official Website of ProtectSeniors.Org
- Official Website of the Association of BellTel Retirees
- Earned Retiree Healthcare Benefits Protection Act of 2011
- AFL-CIO and Working America 2009 Health Care for America Survey
- ProtectSeniors.Org Facebook page
- ProtectSeniors.Org YouTube Video, Doctor's Orders
- ProtectSeniors.Org YouTube Video, Mom and Dad...Crashing on my couch
- ProtectSeniors.Org Video, On the Healthcare Chopping Block
- ProtectSeniors.Org Video, Mitt Romney Offers: the Fix Nana and Poppy's Boo Boo National Healthcare Plan
- ProtectSeniors.Org Video My Salary is 343 Times Bigger Than Yours...And I Earn It
- ProtectSeniors.Org Twitter Page