Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page

9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report

LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code BUD

16. Specific lobbying issues

Mandatory Spending Programs. (No bill): Proposals pertaining to the way funding for the purpose of paying Social Security benefits are appropriated.

Administrative Budget for the Social Security Administration (SSA). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136); H.R. 2740, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2020; H.R. 1865, the FY 2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act: Legislation that funds SSAs operations for Fiscal Year 2020.

Congressional Budget Process Reform. S. 2765, the Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act: Proposal to create an automatic budget reconciliation process that could result in deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, Supplemental Security Income and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Supplemental Appropriations for Programs to Better Assist Older Americans during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The CARES Act (P.L. 116-136): Appropriations during FY 2020 for the Older Americans Act, Section 202 housing for low-income seniors and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Executive Office of the President (EOP), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Treasury - Dept of, Social Security Administration (SSA)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code MMM

16. Specific lobbying issues

Drug Pricing. H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act: Proposals to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare with pharmaceutical manufacturers. Create a maximum price for any negotiated drug with an international price index (Average International Market price). Require drug manufacturers that refuse to negotiate with HHS to pay a non-compliance fee of 65 percent of the gross sales of the drug in question. Require drug companies that raised the price of a drug in Medicare above the rate of inflation since 2016 to either lower the price or pay the entire price above inflation in a rebate back to the Treasury. Create a $2,000 Medicare beneficiary annual out-of-pocket cost cap for prescription drugs.

Drug Pricing. S. 2543, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019: Proposals to require pharmaceutical manufacturers to rebate Medicare if they raise their prices for drugs covered by Medicare Parts B and D faster than inflation. Establish an out-of-pocket spending limit in which Medicare beneficiaries would pay no more than $3,100 a year on drug costs. Require Medicare Part D private insurers to pay 60 percent and, drug makers 20 percent, of the costs incurred over the out-of-pocket spending cap. Increase transparency into pharmacy benefit manager practices and manufacturer drug pricing decisions. Provide state Medicaid programs with more authority to contain drug prices.

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136): Proposals to permanently extend the spousal impoverishment protections for Medicaid home and community-based services and permanently extend Money Follows the Person which provides grants to states for initiatives for people requiring long term care to receive Medicaid services and supports in their homes.

Medicare Prescription Drug Costs. (No bill): Proposal to reduce the threshold for entering the catastrophic phase of the Part D benefit where seniors only pay 5 percent of their drug costs instead of 25 percent.

Medicare Coverage Expansion. H.R 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act: Proposals to expand Medicare coverage to include, vision, dental and hearing benefits; and to expand eligibility for the Low-Income Subsidy and Medicare Savings Program which help low-income seniors pay for drug costs and Medicare premiums, deductibles and copays.

Medigap Reform. H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act: Proposal to improve quality of coverage and access to Medigap by extending guaranteed issue to disabled people and other beneficiaries.

Medical Expense Tax Deduction. Proposal to raise the threshold for the medical expense tax deduction from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of adjusted gross income.

Medicare Observation Status. H.R. 1682 and S. 753, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act: Proposal to allow the time patients spend in the hospital under observation status to count toward requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care.

Reducing Health Care Costs. S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act: Proposal to eliminate surprise medical billing including out-of-network charges in emergencies.

Medicare Savings Program. (No bill): Proposal to reduce cost-sharing, aligning income and resource eligibility tests, simplifying enrollment, and other program improvements for low-income Medicare beneficiaries.

Adapt Medicare and Medicaid to Improve Beneficiary Treatment and Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127): Proposals to assist nursing homes with infection control and support states efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus in nursing homes; make telehealth appointments more accessible to Medicare beneficiaries; eliminate beneficiary cost-sharing requirements for a COVID-19 vaccine and diagnostic tests; enable the Medicare Part D prescription drug program to provide Medicare beneficiaries with a three-month supply of their medication; provide home and community-based support services during hospital stays; increase the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages payment to state Medicaid programs; and support federal, state and local health agency coronavirus prevention, preparedness and response.

Older Americans Act Reauthorization. Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-131): Reauthorizes the Older Americans Act until September 30, 2024, modernizes programs under the Administration on Aging and improves grants for state and community programs on aging.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services - Dept of (HHS), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Administration on Aging, Executive Office of the President (EOP)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code RET

16. Specific lobbying issues

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLAs) Relief. H.R. 860 and S. 269, the Social Security 2100 Act; H.R. 1170 and S. 478, the Social Security Expansion Act; H.R. 1553, the Fair COLA for Seniors Act of 2019; and H.R. 2302 and S. 1132, the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act: Proposals to adopt the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) for the purpose of determining COLAs for Social Security beneficiaries.

Social Security Expansion. H.R. 860 and S. 269, the Social Security 2100 Act; H.R. 1170 and S. 478, the Social Security Expansion Act; H.R. 2302 and S. 1132, the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act; H.R. 2654, the Strengthening Social Security Act; and H.R. 5392, the Social Security Enhancement and Protection Act of 2019: Proposals to improve benefits and to strengthen Social Security's financing by altering the payroll tax cap, among other changes.

Caregiver Social Security Credits. H.R. 4126, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2019: Proposal to provide Social Security wage credits for individuals who reduce their participation in the workforce or leave the workforce to provide care to specified family members and relatives.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Restoration. H.R. 4280 and S. 2753, the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2019: Proposal to update provisions in the SSI program to reflect inflation since 1972 and to increase the asset limit to $10,000 for an individual and $15,000 for a couple.

SSI Eligibility: H.R. 6028, the Stable Benefits and Housing Assistance Act: An amendment to the Social Security Act to ensure that relocation assistance grants received by SSI beneficiaries, regardless of the funding source, are excluded from consideration when determining an individuals eligibility to SSI benefits.

Social Security Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. H.R. 141 and S. 521, Social Security Fairness Act of 2019; H.R. 4540, the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act: Proposals to repeal or modify the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision.

Social Security Benefit Statement. H.R. 5306, the Know Your Social Security Act of 2019: Proposal to have the Social Security Administration resume annual distribution of benefit statements to eligible individuals.

Emergency COVID-19 Payment to Social Security Beneficiaries and Others. (No bill): Proposal to provide a monthly payment to all Social Security, Veterans, and SSI beneficiaries through the end of 2021.

Protecting Seniors from Garnishment. (No bill): Proposal to protect Social Security beneficiaries from having their Social Security benefits garnished to recover unpaid student loans.

Disability Adjudication. (No bill): Proposal to stop the Social Security Administration from reinstituting the reconsideration step of the Social Security Disability Insurance adjudication process in the ten states where that step is not used.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Benefits Adjudication. (No bill): Comments on regulatory proposals to alter the rules regarding the evaluation of medical evidence for the purpose of adjudicating claims for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits and to change the classification system used to determine the frequency with which beneficiaries must undergo a continuing disability review.

Prohibit Payment of Social Security and Supplemental Security Insurance Benefits. (No bill): Proposal to bar payment of benefits for seniors with outstanding warrants for their arrest.

Social Security Benefit Improvement. (No bill): Proposal to adjust benefit levels for individuals who have been on the Social Security benefit rolls for many years.

Social Security Benefit Improvements to Help Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.: The Emergency Social Security Benefits Act (No bill number): Proposals to improve Social Security benefits, which would, take effect immediately, retroactive to January 1, 2020, and be in force until December 31, 2020.

Social Security Office Closures. H.R. 2302 and S. 1132, the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act; H.R. 2901 and S. 1616, the Maintain Access to Vital Social Security Services Act: Proposals to protect and preserve Social Securitys network of local field offices from closure or consolidation.

Strengthening Beneficiaries Rights. (No bill): Various proposals relating to the protection and rights available to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries.

Social Security Disability Insurance Waiting Periods. H.R. 4386 and S. 2496, the Stop the Wait Act: Proposal to eliminate the 36-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for disabled individuals and the 5-month waiting period for start of payment of cash benefits.

Social Security Payroll Taxes. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127): Proposals to cut, eliminate and defer payment of Social Security payroll taxes.

Identity Theft/Fraud. H.R. 5446, the Improving Social Securitys Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act of 2019: Proposal to require establishment of a dedicated ID fraud cadre at the SSA.

Social Security Beneficiary Representative. (No bill): Would require the establishment of a beneficiary representative at SSA to advocate on behalf of Social Security beneficiaries and claimants.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Social Security Administration (SSA), Administration on Aging, Executive Office of the President (EOP), Justice - Dept of (DOJ), Labor - Dept of (DOL)

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code GOV

16. Specific lobbying issues

Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund Committees. S. 2733, the Time to Rescue United States Trusts Act: Proposals to set a process to require Congress to consider recommendations made by committees created by S. 2733 that would likely include plans to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.

House Select Committee on Aging. (No bill): Proposal to reestablish the House Select Committee on Aging in the 116th Congress.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.

15. General issue area code CIV

16. Specific lobbying issues

Age Discrimination. H.R. 1230 and S. 485, Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act: Proposal to restore the standard of proof in age discrimination cases to the pre-2009 level, and treat age discrimination as unjust as other forms of employment discrimination.

17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None

U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area

19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None

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Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.

20. Client new address

21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)

22. New General description of client’s business or activities

LOBBYIST UPDATE

23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client

ISSUE UPDATE

24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains

AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)

Internet Address:

26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client

FOREIGN ENTITIES

27. Add the following foreign entities:

28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization

CONVICTIONS DISCLOSURE

29. Have any of the lobbyists listed on this report been convicted in a Federal or State Court of an offense involving bribery, extortion, embezzlement, an illegal kickback, tax evasion, fraud, a conflict of interest, making a false statement, perjury, or money laundering?
No Yes