Congress Still Working to Avoid Government Shutdown.While the bill did win approval by the Appropriations Subcommittee this week, its future remains uncertain. Typically, bills that are advanced by Appropriations Subcommittees on Tuesdays are considered by the full Committee on Thursdays. However, the Labor-HHS-Education bill is not currently on the schedule, and Sen. Tom Harkin Chairman of the Subcommittee has said "there are no plans" for a full Committee markup. Some are speculating that, with the November elections looming, lawmakers are hoping to avoid the politically tough votes on amendments that come along with Labor-HHS-Education spending packages..Would it Be Advantageous for Me to Take a Divorced Spouse Benefit?.The legislation prevents a 19% Social Security disability benefit cut by a short-term reallocation of payroll tax revenue in 2016 through 201This would be sufficient to pay benefits until 2022 and would not affect the 2034 depletion date of the Social Security retirement trust fund, according to Social Security's Chief Actuary..Prescription Drug Re-Importation Making safe, secure re-importation a reality..Social Security provides an essential foundation to American's retirement plans, but it simply was never designed to be the sole source of retirement income. Social Security replaces about 40% percent of earnings of the typical retiree. TSCL believes that today's retirement crisis calls for more adequate, not reduced, benefits..Although the Social Security trust fund is often reported as being solvent until 2033, there are two separate trust funds, each with separate insolvency dates. The trust fund for the disability insurance program is in the biggest financial trouble and is estimated to become completely exhausted in 2016 or by 2017[1]. "With 2016 being a major presidential election year, either the next Congress will need to enact program changes next year, or risk running out the clock and triggering across the board benefit cuts," Cates points out..This week, The Senior Citizens League announced its support for two bills that would improve Medicare coverage of certain services. First, TSCL endorsed the Audiology Patient Choice Act, a bipartisan bill that was introduced in March by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Rand Paul. The bill was introduced in the House last year by Representative Tom Rice with the support of several cosponsors..Medicare beneficiaries would still be on the hook for the ,000 that would need to be spent out-of-pocket before the catastrophic coverage even starts. For the average beneficiary, that could take one-third or more of one's entire Social Security income for the year.

Medicaid Event June 25 Briefing Medicaid Managed Care In The Era Of Health Reform

House Appropriations Committee Chair Hal Rogers has said he hopes to wrap up negotiations on policy riders by the end of Friday, so that a final version can be brought to the House floor early next week. He said, "My goal is Monday to be able to file the bill, to start the clock.".If you have limited income and savings, there are three Medicare Savings Programs that help pay Medicare costs. If you qualify, your Medicare Part B premium will no longer be deducted from your monthly Social Security check. Over the rest of the year, that could be worth an extra 4.60 per month in your Social Security check, and more than ,300 in higher Social Security income through the end of the year. If you qualify, you will automatically get Extra Help, the Medicare program that helps with Part D prescription drug costs.."Immigration Bill Splitting House G.O.P.," Jonathan Weisman and Ashley Parker, The Washington Post, April 4, 2014. … Continued

Barbara Lyons

check-ups. Often, it's insidiously hard to tell whether a problem really is.We want to assure you that we will try to report the facts as we understand them and keep elective politics out of it..While that is certainly better than 2010 and 2011 when inflation was so low that no COLA was paid for two years in a row, it's unlikely to cover seniors' real cost increases. Earlier this year we surveyed our readers and 89% reported that the 1.7% COLA in 2013 increased benefits by less than per month. On the other hand, almost the same number, 88%, reported that their total monthly expenses rose by more than Unfortunately the majority of those people, 40%, said that their monthly costs rose by more than 9. … Continued

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