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7 Questions That Must Be Addressed About Social Security.My pulmonologist ordered a CT scan, but the person scheduling appointments said they first had to check my insurance. Is this correct? I'm covered by Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan. I thought I would be covered for any medically necessary CT scan..As we said earlier, the end of the federal government's 2020 fiscal year is fast approaching and unless Congress can pass new funding legislation before then, we face the possibility of another government shutdown. Last week the House of Representatives passed a four-bill fiscal 2021 spending package, advancing its first annual funding measure of the year. The legislation includes State and Foreign Operations, Agriculture-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction-VA funding..the premium may become unaffordable..In addition to expenses such as out-of-pocket drug costs, and co-pays for visits to the doctor, here are a few of the most common overlooked medical deductions:.Food: The cost of food has been rising faster in recent years and food prices have easily outpaced overall inflation for many other types of goods. Among other senior spending categories, only prices for oil-based products and medical care have risen faster than food prices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that meat prices, particularly beef and veal, are at record highs, and the USDA expects high prices for beef products through 201Poultry prices remain high but are falling. Try new recipes and plan menus. Use lower–cost cuts of meat and poultry and stretch your servings using less expensive sources of protein like beans, tofu, and high protein whole grains. Four chicken leg quarters that sell for under .49 per pound, for example, can yield 12 - one cup servings of home made chicken and whole grain rice soup, especially good made with white soup beans and fresh chopped mustard greens or endive. Freeze the extra and share with homebound friends..Even when patients do seek treatment at a hospital mainly staffed by doctors in their insurance plans, they might wind up being treated by an out-of-network specialist. Worsening the problem, insurers have narrowed their networks of preferred doctors over the years in hopes of steering patients away from hospitals to lower-cost outpatient facilities and doctors..Estimates by the Social Security Administration indicate that if the taxable maximum were eliminated, and the payroll tax of 12.4% were applied to all earnings, that program solvency would be extended as much as 40 years. This includes allowing retired workers credit for benefits on the higher earnings. And not only would lifting the taxable maximum keep the program financed well into future, it would pay for providing a more fair and slightly higher COLA using the CPI-E.."Even one year of high health costs, like being hospitalized for surgery, could force most seniors to spend through their savings faster, or go into debt," says TSCL Chairman, Ed Cates. "Most retirees are dealing with fragile fiscal safety nets," he says. "What makes this finding so significant is that most Medicare health plans have annual out-of-pocket maximums that exceed ,000," Cates adds.