GBO NEWS: Social Security & LGBT-Family Kids; Fellowship Deadline Extended
Editor’s Note: The new “GBO News” marks the 20th year of the Journalists Network on Generations. Click through this table of contents to the full issue at www.gbonews.org. This format is “scalable” for computer, e-pad or mobile. Let us know what you think of the new format.
IN THIS ISSUE: Good Wishes for Mandela and Noble Dissidents, Elder and Young.
1. FISCAL REFORM SCHOOL: Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Decision Won’t Affect Glum Social Security Reality for Children in LGBT Unions
2. EYES ON THE JOURNALISM PRIZE: ***Application Deadline Extended to July 15 for MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program; ***MetLife Goes Ageless—Ends Age Programs
3. THE AGING ENTERPRISE: ***Amazon’s Senior Marketing Moment; ***Healthy Aging Means Business” Conference in Philadelphia, July 18; ***The 10th Annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit
1. FISCAL REFORM SCHOOL
Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Decision Won’t Affect Glum Social Security Reality for Children in LGBT Unions: Whichever way the Supreme Court wind blows for or against the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8, many children in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LTBT) families will continued to be shortchanged by current Social Security restrictions. The program’s rules are unfavorable to them, but not to minors in families with heterosexual parents, stepparents and even grandparents.
Experts say that only action by Congress—unlikely in the current political atmosphere—or possibly by the Social Security Administration could remedy the inequity.
A recent report, “Living Outside the Safety Net: LGBT Families and Social Security,” states, “In the absence of fair adoption laws, thousands of same-sex parents across the country remain legal strangers to the children they are raising.”
The report, released by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM) and Human Rights Campaign Foundation, explains, “Many same-sex couples use adoption to form their families. When one parent is the biological parent, or when joint adoption is not permitted under state law, second-parent adoption is the only option that allows a same-sex partner to legally adopt his or her biological or adoptive child while leaving the rights of the ‘first parent’ intact. Access to adoption for same-sex parents is far from universally accessible — in fact only 18 states make second-parent adoption available.”
In the 32 states that don’t recognize second-parent adoption, when a child loses a parent “who is not tied to them biologically or through adoption, the Social Security system determines that they are not eligible to receive any benefit,” says the report.
“Living Outside the Safety Net,” goes on to say, “A child becomes eligible for Social Security benefits when a parent becomes disabled, retires or passes away.”
The study’s authors, Carroll L. Estes, emeritus co-founder of the University of California, San Francisco’s Institute for Health and Aging, and Robin Maril, Legislative Counsel of the Human Rights Campaign, continue, “Recognizing the power of these benefits to ensure a consistent quality of life for a family, the Social Security Administration also considers stepchildren and step-grandchildren to be eligible despite the absence of a legal, formal relationship with the working parent.” But not children of same-sex parents.
Call for Federal Redefinitions
Currently, Social Security provides family benefits to 4.4 million children. According to a study by the Family Equality Council, LGBT parents are raising as many as 2.8 million children in the United States, a “number is expected to grow in the coming years.”
The report goes on, “Same-sex couples of color are more likely to be raising children than white same-sex couples.” Overall, four in 10 same-sex couples with children identify as non-white compared to about one-quarter of married heterosexual couples with children.
Calling for redefinitions in the federal agencies, the Council’s 2012 report, “Strengthening Economic Security for Children Living in LGBT Families,” stresses, “The average annual loss of child survivor benefits for families when a deceased parent goes unrecognized for Social Security purposes is $9,420.” That sum can draw the line against economic struggle or poverty for many families facing the loss of a breadwinner.
What’s more, say Estes and Maril, many children with disabilities in LGBT families are shorted by Social Security’s present definitions, because minors are determined eligible for benefits based on their parents’ work history.
“If the disability begins prior to the child’s 22nd birthday, benefits can last throughout the child’s lifetime,” they state, “Over a 30 year period, an adult disabled child of a legally-unrecognized parent would forfeit, on average, $254,102 in Social Security benefits.”
In Congress, the Social Security Equality Act of 2012, introduced by Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., with almost 100 co-sponsors and would give benefits to LGBT partners. Not surprisingly it was buried in a House committee.
Another remedy might be action by the Social Security Administration (SSA). But legal and legislative advocates differ on whether the soon-to-be nominated new U.S. Commissioner of Social Security would, or could effect a more equitable policy.
Web Phillips, [phillipsw@ncpssm.org, 202-216-8358] senior legislative representative of the NCPSSM, e-mailed GBO News that he’s “not optimistic that the Commissioner of Social Security has much discretionary decision making authority with regard to relationship determinations made in association with claims for Social Security child benefits.”
Phillips said the rules for qualifying for benefits are “spelled out in great detail in the legislative language itself rather than through regulations that are promulgated by the Commissioner.” However, he said, a broad Supreme Court decision striking down DOMA and other statutes discriminating against children of LGBT families, could force such a change—but not swiftly even then. “It is a very complex area of law,” he said.
SSA Action Possible, If Controversial
But in answer to GBO News, Nancy J. Altman, co-director of Social Security Works and author of The Battle for Social Security, (Wiley, 2007) speculated, “I would think SSA could define children of intact same-sex couples who were prohibited from marrying under state law as ‘de facto’ step children. For that matter, ‘de facto spouses’ might be able to get benefits in that situation as well. There would have to be proof that the couple is all but married and would have married if state law allowed it.”
She added, “Of course it would be controversial, but I don’t see who would have standing to challenge it. So a commissioner willing to take the heat could probably make the change, especially because of the stepchild coverage.”
Many sources in Washington these days expect President Obama to take a no-chances approach to his choice for SSA Commissioner. (It is a so-called non-political appointment. This means that once a sitting president nominates someone, if the person is confirmed by the U.S, Senate, he or she serves a six-year term and cannot be removed except for malfeasance and so on.
But no one we queries for this article expected the White House to tap someone known for strong initiative and innovative leadership. Still, President Obama has already shown forceful leadership through executive action in other areas, such as with the don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy and by offering a fairer path to undocumented youth last year. Could there be congressional or administrative fairness for LGBT-family children? That’s a question that some gen-beat reporters might well bring up.
–Paul Kleyman for GBO News and New America Media
2. EYES ON THE JOURNALISM PRIZE
*** Application Deadline Extended to July 15 for MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program: Journalists may now apply until July 15, the extended deadline, for the fourth and final year of this in-depth journalism mini-fellowship. The program will bring reporters from both ethnic media and general-audience press to New Orleans in November (all expenses-paid) to Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) 66th Annual Scientific Meeting. Each Fellow will receive a stipend of $1,500. The program is a collaboration between GSA and New America Media (NAM), in cooperation with GBO’s publisher, the Journalists Network on Generations.
Journalists, selected based on their proposals for an in-depth story or series (in any medium), are chosen from both ethnic-media organizations in the United States and generations-beat reporters from the general-audience (mainstream) media.
Once again 17 Fellows will be chosen, including journalists from both ethnic-community media published in the United States and mainstream press organizations. And for the second year, one journalist will be tapped for a special John A. Hartford/MetLife Foundation Journalism in Aging & Health Fellowships. (Neither foundation has any input in the selected projects.)
Reporters are chosen by a panel of journalists and gerontologists from NAM and GSA. All resulting stories, which may originate in any language, may also be cross-posted on the NAM website in after first being published by a Fellow’s news organization. (Stories may also receive wider dissemination through NAM, GSA or the foundations.)
For details and to apply online, visit http://bit.ly/Jbeu7P. Also, the first three years have already yielded almost 200 articles on a wide range of topics. You can see a full list with links at GSA’s website.
For further details about fellowship requirements and potential stories, contact NAM Ethnic Elders Editor Paul Kleyman at pkleyman@newamericamedia.org or (415) 503-4170, ext. 133. For further details about how to submit an application, contact GSA Communications Manager Todd Kluss at tkluss@geron.org or (202) 587-2839.
*** MetLife Goes Ageless—Ends Programs: By the way, although the MetLife Foundation has been very pleased with the NAM-GSA journalists in aging program, the nonprofit foundation is ending its entire program on aging. What’s more, the company is also closing its MetLife Mature Market Institute, begun over 20 years ago as a research arm of the corporation aimed at demonstrating the impact of long-term care on American families and business. Although certainly motivated by proving the market for long-term care insurance products – in the only advanced economy not to broadly cover long-term care as part of its health system — the Institute funded some of the most important research on this pervasively neglected family caregiving issue.
In late 2010, however, MetLife joined several other insurance companies in ending its long-term care insurance product line for new customers. Insurers generally found over the years that they had underestimated the demand for services and has underpriced their policies. Others can question whether this is a correlation or causation, but the loss of MetLife’s support – not just to our small journalism program, but mainly to its research boost for our aging society — will be hard to replace.
Meanwhile, GSA and NAM are exploring new possibilities for continuing this important journalism fellowship program on issues in aging. For now, though, we have one more year to go – so apply NOW. The Big Easy may be calling your name.
3. THE AGING ENTERPRISE
*** “Amazon is having a senior moment,” was Korky Vann’s lead on her recent “Savvy Shopper” column for the Hartford Courant. The paper’s long-time consumer reporter (and former/sometimes gen-beat journalist) reflected on
the Amazon Store’s new effort to target the 50-plus market.
In April, Vann reported, “The e-tail giant launched the 50+ Active and Healthy Living Store, featuring nutrition, wellness, exercise and fitness, medical, personal care, beauty, entertainment items — all accessible through a single portal and all geared toward boomers.”
She cited stats from DMW Direct, a marketing firm focusing on older consumers. Vann noted that the largely affluent 50-plus segment accounts for over 40 percent of total consumer demand–spending almost $2 trillion on goods and services annually, including $7 billion each year on online purchases. Also, she wrote, new findings from the respected Forrester Research show that boomers ages of 56-66 are the biggest online spenders compared to all other generations.
Vann quoted executive Charles Wales, whose title, Director of Beauty and Health & Personal Care for Amazon, seems a perfect straight line for Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer.” Wales explained, “This is a destination where a customer can purchase anything from vitamins and blood pressure monitors to skin care items and books on traveling the world.” Vann adds that Amazon was smart enough to design the website with a larger than usual typeface.
However, she also addressed the complications inherent in selling to a market that needs health products, but doesn’t respond well to reminders of decline with age. Vann quoted Andrea Tannenbaum, president of Bloomfield’s Dynamic Living Inc., an online catalog of assistive products to help people with vision, mobility and hearing problems.
Tannenbaum told Vann, “This age group wants good design, attractive items that allow them to keep doing the things they want to do, but a lot of merchandise hasn’t had the makeover yet. Companies have been slow to respond, but it’s beginning to happen and if they see a market for these goods, they’ll respond.”
Vann commented, “I get that. As a boomer, I’m not so enthusiastic about the whole aging process myself.” She added, “These days, boomers want items that combine style and function, without referring to the underlying need.”
Tannenbaum emphasized that major retailers like Target and Wal-Mart will be watching Amazon’s 50+ store closely.
GBO’s editor can add that I’ve been hearing the same marketing refrain for 25 years. It’s critical to our aging nation that $2 trillion a year and counting bring about access to more universally designed, more suitable, safer — and good looking products. Yet, America’s “age-denying” market mentality has been a constant drag on needed innovation for the age boom. So, good luck to Amazon.
***”Healthy Aging Means Business” is the title of a conference in Philadelphia, July 18, co-hosted by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), an international strategic marketing consultancy on wellness and aging, and sponsored by the Biotechnology Industry Organization. The program “will examine market opportunities across aging trends, health and longevity, and money and finances.”
Key sessions will include “Healthy Aging Trends from A to Z,” with NMI’s Steve French, who will share insights from the company’s consumer research on the latest consumer and market trends related to healthy aging, caregiving, health care, the role of technology, lifestyle and leisure activities, financial challenges, and jobs and retirement. French’s analysis will look at how Gen Y, Gen X, boomers, and seniors approach healthy aging and market implications. For “Opportunities Spanning All Generations,” distinguished gerontological researcher S. Jay Olshansky, of the University of Illinois, Chicago, “will focus on how finance and insurance in particular can benefit from knowledge about the biology of aging.
As a background primer, the session will begin with a discussion of why we age, why we live as long as we do, and various factors to consider as we try to gauge and favorably influence the health and longevity of future cohorts of older people.” Also, Michael Hodin of the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) will explore the rapid global aging phenomenon not as the crisis so often bemoaned by the international financial markets, but as a major opportunity. And Sanjay Gupta, president of Johnson & Johnson’s Wellness and Prevention, Inc., will speak on “Re-energizing the Aging Workforce: New Approaches Yield High Returns.” More information about Health Aging Means Business, including faculty presenters, the agenda, and online registration details, can be found at www.geron.org/hamb. Reporters can contact GSA’s Todd Kluss [tkluss@geron.org (202) 587-2839] about press access to the conference and its speakers.
*** The 10th Annual Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit is happening today (June 26) on the pastoral campus of Santa Clara University (SCU). Congratulations to event founder Mary Furlong, SCU’s professor of entrepreneurship and author of Turning Silver into Gold: How to Profit in the New Boomer Marketplace (Financial Times Press, 2007). The book includes a chapter on the journalism of the age beat. The president and CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates [http://bit.ly/12i1QJP], she was named one of the top 100 Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2011. Writers on retirement and related business issues might scan over the Summit agenda [http://bit.ly/129nLY9] for sources and story ideas from such conference sessions as “How and Where Do Boomers Spend Money” or “Blueprint on the Longevity Economy.”
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The Journalists Network on Generations (JNG), founded in 1993, publishes Generations Beat Online with in-kind support from New America Media (NAM). JNG provides information and networking opportunities for journalists covering generational issues, but not those representing services, products or lobbying agendas. NAM is an online, nonprofit news service reaching 3,000 ethnic media outlets in the United States. GBO News readers are invited to visit the NAM website, and click on the Ethnic Elders section logo on the right side. Opinions expressed in GBO do not represent those of NAM. Copyright 2013, JNG. For more information contact GBO Editor Paul Kleyman.
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