What numbers are those?.Burwell will begin her work as HHS Secretary in the coming days, and TSCL will keep a close eye on her work since it could have major impacts on the Social Security and Medicare programs. TSCL is pleased that Burwell has already committed to working with Congress to repeal and replace the flawed sustainable growth rate formula later this year. However, she has also expressed her support for increased means testing within the Medicare program a proposal that TSCL is opposed to due to potential unintended consequences. For updates on HHS actions affecting senior citizens, visit the Legislative News section of our website..Two Ways and Means Subcommittees held hearings on reforming Medicare and Social Security this week. On Tuesday, the Health Subcommittee heard from a panel of experts on Medicare reform, and on Thursday, the Social Security Subcommittee met to discuss potential changes to the program.."Depending on how long it takes one's retirement savings to recover, the 2020 coronavirus recession could have a deep and life changing impact on the retirement security of older Americans," says Johnson whose own retirement savings were negatively impacted by the Great Recession of 2007- 0"Those who have lost significant sums might plan to work longer and retire later if they can," says Johnson. "Those who were working and have lost a job and their employer - provided healthcare coverage may wind up working for lower earnings, and could potentially experience worse health," she notes..President Obama recently announced a series of Executive Actions to protect an estimated 4.9 million illegal immigrants from deportation. This month the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is expected to start taking applications as hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants begin to apply for deportation relief, work authorization, and Social Security numbers..The last time no COLA was payable, was in 201The Medicare Trustees had estimated Part B premiums would increase by an unprecedented 52%. Congress enacted legislation that limited the premium increase to 16%, but also required a per month "repayment" to make up the difference in subsequent years. After deduction for Part B premiums, roughly half of all beneficiaries saw no growth in their net Social Security benefits from 2016 until 2019, when there was a 2.8% COLA, according to TSCL's annual surveys..Auxiliary beneficiaries who lack SSNs heighten the risk of improper payments and fraud. The OIG said that the Social Security Administration sometimes has trouble making timely terminations of benefit payments when the beneficiary without his or her own Social Security number dies. Making accurate payments, however, is complicated by the fact that 83% of auxiliary beneficiaries without an SSN identified in the OIG's audit reside outside the United States. In addition, more than 5,000 of the auxiliary beneficiaries are age 90 or older. In fact, the OIG audit uncovered three cases in which the Social Security Administration continued to improperly pay benefits long after the beneficiary had died..Medicare Extra Help helps pay for some, or most, of the out-of-pocket costs for Medicare prescription drug coverage. It is also known as the Part D "Low-Income" subsidy. Extra Help pays for the Part D premium up to a certain amount, lowers the cost of your prescription drugs, gives you special enrollment periods to switch plans, and eliminates the Part D late enrollment penalty if you did not enroll in Part D by your original deadline. If your income is under ,615 or ,175 and you have limited savings and resources, you might be eligible. Apply for Medicare Extra Help on the Social Security website.."We write to express our concern and alarm about the dramatic increase in problems with mail delivery that are being experienced by constituents across Maryland. Based on the reports and information we have received; these delays appear to be the result of delayed processing times and staff shortages.
