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For roughly 10 million older Americans who have been retired since 2000, the buying power of their Social Security benefits only 'improved' by a meager 1 percent, from a loss of 34 percent over the period 2000 to 2018 to a loss of 33 percent from 2000- 201The loss occurred even though beneficiaries received a 2.8 percent annual cost - of - living adjustment for 2019..Such a minimum guarantee would go a long way to protect beneficiaries in years when there is no COLA. Had such a 3% minimum COLA guarantee been in effect since 2009, the average benefit of ,075 in 2009 would be 5 per month/ ,580 year higher today - about 18%. A minimum COLA would also eliminate the problem of benefits remaining flat for years, at a time during periods when Medicare Part B premiums increase more than the COLA raises benefits..While Part D costs are not capped, there is a "catastrophic level" of coverage that kicks in once Part D enrollees spend ,000 of their own money out-of-pocket. Five thousand dollars is just the threshold in 201That threshold is forecast to rise to more than ,000 per year in just eight years. Even worse, the ,000 threshold is just for your covered drugs under Part D. It does not include other out-of-pocket spending for Medicare, such drugs you may receive through Medicare Part B, and all other out-of-pocket costs..Two new cosponsors Senator Cory Booker and Senator Deb Fischer signed on to the bipartisan CREATES Act, bringing the total up to thirty in the Senate. If adopted, the bill would increase competition in the prescription drug industry by encouraging generic and biosimilar drug manufacturers to introduce their products to the market more quickly..High-income beneficiaries who pay an income-related surcharge in addition to the basic premium..As with the start of any new Congress, TSCL is encouraging Senators and Representatives to reintroduce and cosponsor key legislation, like the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act, the Notch Fairness Act, the No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act, and the Social Security Fairness Act. TSCL's legislative agenda for the next two years includes the following issues, among others:.Long Term Care Ombudsmen: Find information about long term care facilities in your area, and investigations of complaints if you've encountered a problem..Forty-three percent of all seniors count on Social Security for 80% or more of their income..That doesn't mean that a budget agreement is completely out of the question or the much more unlikely scenario that Congress won't get paid. The No Budget No Pay Act holds Congressional paychecks in escrow, and, by law, will release the funds either when a budget agreement is reached, or on the last day of the 113th Congress, which ends on December 31, 2014.