Views from readers: A good deed + federal benefits + Congress

A good deed

I was in the Neighborhood Walmart on U.S. 49 in Gulfport on Dec. 23. I was waiting in line to pay and a nice lady came up behind me and we spoke briefly. I made room for her groceries and let her know that she had dropped a pencil.

As I was getting ready to pay, she paid for my groceries.

I was overwhelmed. I told her she didn’t have to do that and she stated she wanted to, basically because I spoke to her that day.

She mentioned that people these days won’t even look at you, let alone speak to you.

I am very grateful for what she did. I thanked her and walked out of the store in tears.

After leaving, I felt horrible that I didn’t get her name and number. I am hopeful that I am not the only person she spoke to that day and that she didn’t spend the holidays alone. She really restored my hope of there still being good people in this world.

Thanks so much. If you read this letter, please contact me.

Holly McCune

Biloxi

Full benefits needed

I am a retired federal employee. When I turned 65 and signed up for Social Security, my benefit was reduced by $600 per month because I retired as a CSRS employee. I am also prevented from filing for my husband’s Social Security if he dies before me. This affects another 9,267 Mississippians.

I am writing to raise awareness of the devastating effects of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) experienced by nearly 2 million people.

This policy reduces the earned Social Security benefits of local, state and federal retirees who worked in Social Security-covered private-sector employment, and who also earned an annuity from their non-Social Security covered government employment. The WEP can result in a monthly Social Security benefit that is $498 lower than deserved, causing undue financial distress

Why should we be penalized for working hard for our country?

Additionally, spouses are feeling the burden of the Government Pension Offset (GPO), a similar penalty, which prevents them from collecting the Social Security benefits their spouses earned from private-sector jobs due to their public service. The GPO affects 716,662 beneficiaries, 47 percent of which are widows or widowers, and 83 percent of whom are women.

We rightfully earned these benefits in exchange for our dedication and hard work to the nation, and, as such, I am inviting other retirees affected by the WEP and GPO to join me in calling on Congress to repeal these unfair provisions. It’s past time to stop punishing us for our public service and allow for us to collect what we rightfully earned.

Mary Pierson

Gulfport

Finding care

The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has shown the limitations and risks of skilled nursing facilities — as well as the importance of extended care at home beyond the pandemic. There is a better way to care for seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries after hospital discharge.

Fortunately, bipartisan lawmakers in Congress introduced legislation that would expand home-based care options for seniors in our community. This legislation, the Choose Home Care Act, would establish an additional patient-centered home health option called Choose Home to help meet seniors’ comprehensive care needs.

Choose Home would offer extended care services in the comfort and convenience of a patient’s home after hospitalization instead of requiring them to stay in a skilled-nursing facility. It would also provide support, training, and education for family caregivers.

As we begin the new year, I hope our states’ lawmakers in Congress will resolve to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Kendra Ballard

Ocean Springs