NARFE Chapter 1518, Kaimuki
Remaining 2025 Chapter Meetings/Events
Oct 21. Meeting, McCully Park, 10:30
Nov 18 Meeting, McCully Park, 10:30 (Potluck luncheon)
Dec 4, Christmas Party at Natsunoya Teahouse
Embedded Files
Chapter 1518 - 50th Anniversary
Save the Date Thursday, July 16, 2026 Save the Date
Luncheon @ Waialae CC -- details to be announced
10Oct2025NL.pdfChapter 1518 October News Update October 2025
New No Tax on Social Security Benefits Bill Introduced [cnbc.com]
Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” provides relief to certain Social Security beneficiaries who pay taxes on their benefits. But it doesn’t eliminate those taxes entirely. Sen. Ruben Gallego has introduced a bill titled You Earn It, You Keep it Act. The bill would eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits and extend the Social Security trust funds’ ability to pay benefits in full for 24 years, or until 2058.
How Medicare Prior Authorization Rules Are Changing in 2026 [themedicarefamily.com]
If you’re on Medicare, you might be wondering what the Medicare Prior Authorization Changes in 2026 means for you. Traditional Medicare historically required little in the way of pre-authorization. But that is going to change. Starting January 1, 2026, a pilot program in six states [New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Arizona] will require pre-approval for 17 outpatient services. While AI will review requests, a licensed clinician will make the final decision. The goal is to reduce costs by cutting down on unnecessary treatments.
Medicare Advantage Plan AI Denials: Humana used algorithm in ‘fraudulent scheme’ to deny patient care, lawsuit alleges [statnews.com]
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that Humana illegally used an algorithm to prematurely cut off payment for rehabilitation care after patients suffered serious illnesses and injuries. It is the second suit filed following a STAT investigation that found Medicare Advantage insurers nationwide are using the algorithm to cut off patients’ rehabilitation care, forcing them to forgo treatment or pay thousands of dollars out of pocket. An earlier complaint was filed against the algorithm’s maker, NaviHealth, and the company that owns NaviHealth, UnitedHealth Group.
ACA cliff may mean ‘huge premium shock’ for 22 million people in 2026 [cnbc.com]
Affordable Care Act insurance premiums are set to rise sharply next year if Congress doesn’t intervene. That’s because enhanced subsidies that have reduced costs for millions of enrollees in health plans purchased through the ACA marketplace in recent years are set to expire after 2025. (The ACA is also referred to as Obamacare.)
Shutdown talk heats up as Democrats insist on stopping health care cuts [apnews.com]
“House Democrats will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. That’s what this shutdown fight is all about, Mr. President,” Jeffries said. A test vote by the GOP on a short-term spending bill that would keep the federal government fully operational when the new budget year begins Oct. first into mid-November without any ACA relief failed.
The government could shut down in less than a week. Here's what you need to know [ABCnews.com]
What happens if there is a government shutdown? Millions of federal employees will go without a paycheck and many essential workers will be told to come to work without pay. ICE agents will go without pay. National parks will close. Federal contractors will not work but will not have guaranteed back pay. Core programs, like social security, medicare and medicaid, will keep running because their funding is built into law. But a popular Medicare benefit (telehealth) has already ended, and local health centers may be at risk unless Congress acts soon. More than 6.7 million older adults got their healthcare through telehealth last year. But the Obamacare subsidies that allowed many individuals and families who do not have access to affordable health insurance thru work a way access to healthcare at an affordable price. Unless Congress takes action to extent the subsidies, out-of-pocket premiums could grow by as much as 114% next year, according to a KFF analysis. Democrats want to work with the GOP to provide some relief for the individuals and families caught in this healthcare dilemma. But so far Trump and the GOP say no. Social Security and federal retiree payments are not affected.
Trump, justifying domestic military action, tells Pentagon leaders to ‘handle’ the ‘enemy from within’
President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave a campaign-style speech to the nation’s top military brass, suggesting that “dangerous” American cities should be used as Pentagon “training grounds” during a 72-minute speech. “Inner cities are a big part of war,” Trump said. The unprecedented event, with nearly every general and admiral from the military present, cost the government millions of dollars to fly the officers in from active combat zones and critical jobs.
White House Unveils ‘TrumpRx’ Drug-Buying Site and a Pfizer Pricing Deal [WSJ]
President Trump on Tuesday unveiled a direct-to-consumer website for Americans to buy drugs, dubbed TrumpRx, and announced that Pfizer plans to offer some of its drugs on the site at a reduced rate. The latest developments followed on Trump’s call for pharmaceutical companies to participate in a direct-to-consumer drug-buying platform, and to offer the “most favored nation” pricing—commonly understood as prices lower or comparable to those in other developed nations.
Important 9/26/2025
To all chapter and federation officers and regional vice presidents:
NARFE takes fiduciary responsibility seriously, and we are continually checking to make sure our financial systems are protected from potential theft by scammers. As a result, NARFE Budget and Finance will no longer accept banking information via email.
Going forward, please send your direct deposit form and canceled check to:
NARFE Budget and Finance
Attn: Tierra Sherman
606 N. Washington Street
Alexandria VA 22314
Click below to download a blank direct deposit form for your use.
REMINDER: Do NOT send banking information via email.
If you have questions, please contact
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Cindy Reneé Blythe
NARFE National Secretary/Treasurer
natsectreas@narfe.org
Chapter 1518 Officers for 2025 with HISF president Joyce Matsuo
Chapter 1518
HISF Memorial
April 2023
Updates on the Social Security Fairness Act, H.R. 82
Updates on the Social Security Fairness Act, H.R. 82
Act was signed into law today, Jan 5 2025.
Questions related to the milestones/dates related to the dkstribution and amount to be paid to those affected by the WEP and/or GPO penalities should be directed to Social Security Administration (SSA). Visit the SSA.org website for details.
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Published in FedHub, Dec 22, 2024
A Win for BiPartisanship in Congress
Since 1982, public workers receiving non-SSA government pensions who work other jobs covered by Social Security, do not receive their full SSA benefits upon retirement due to the Windfall Elimination Penalty. Spouses who draw non-SSA government pensions do not receive their full SSA spousal benefits due to the Government Pension Offset Penalty. Impacted are state and local workers including firemen, policemen and teachers and federal and Postal Service employees hired before 1984. For over 40 years, NARFE tirelessly helped lead the fight to repeal these penalties. Finally, the House and Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act HR 82 and S597, respectively, which repeal both penalties. Now President Biden needs to sign them into law. Corrected SSA benefits are to be payable after December 31, 2023.
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Joyce K Matsuo
Honolulu HI
OverDrive Handout.pdfPhotos from Summer Excursion
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