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The study examined the increase in costs of 39 key items between 2000 and January 201The items were chosen because they are typical of the costs of most Social Security recipients, and include expenditures like the Medicare Part B premium, that are not measured by the index currently used to calculate the COLA. Of the 39 items analyzed, 25 exceeded the percentage of increase in the COLA over the same period. "This study illustrates why legislation is needed to provide a more fair and adequate COLA," Johnson says. "To put it in perspective, the same 0 worth of groceries that a retiree household could buy in 2000, can only buy worth today," Johnson adds..New Medicare enrollees..According to the Federal Register "Amounts collected under section 1411 are not designated for the Medicare Trust Fund. The Joint Committee on Taxation in 2011 stated that's because No provision is made for the transfer of the tax imposed by this provision from the General Fund of the United States Treasury to any Trust Fund.".According to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League, premiums for Medicare supplemental insurance, known as Medigap, grew more than twice as fast as Social Security cost of living -adjustments in the past year. About 41 percent of survey participants who are covered by a Medigap policy report robust premium increases in the past 12 months of at least 6 percent or more, particularly for individuals who were covered by a policy for more than two years. "The Social Security COLA for 2019 is 2.8 percent, far lower than the rate that Medigap policies appear to be growing," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League..By Representative Mike Garcia.Finally, even though the full retirement age is rising, the eligibility age for Medicare is still 6It's important to apply for Medicare three months prior to turning age 6Failure to enroll in Medicare at age 65 might result in costly premium penalties..We strongly recommend that you call your dad's health plan and ask for a detailed statement including dates of stays and services billed. Keep careful notes of your call. If you are still unsatisfied, you can get free one-on-one counseling through your state health insurance assistance programs that may be able to help you determine what costs should have been covered and whether you should appeal the charges. Find a program in your area here..On Wednesday, Marilyn Tavenner, acting Administrator of CMS since 2011, was confirmed by the Senate with an overwhelming vote of ninety-one to seven. She is the first CMS Administrator to be confirmed by the legislative body in over nine years, but her confirmation did not come easily. Earlier this year, two Senators placed holds on her confirmation, delaying the process significantly..The results of not having a formal leader are apparent. As expert witness Max Richtman of the National Committee to Preserve Social security and Medicare described, disability appeals can take over six hundred days to process and ten thousand people die each year waiting for decisions on their appeals.