"Splitting pills, taking prescriptions every other day, or simply not refilling prescriptions is hazardous to health, especially when the drug is an essential one for conditions such as diabetes," says Johnson, whose mother was a diabetic. "The process of comparing plans can be a chore and confusing. But there are Medicare counselors in every state who are available to help beneficiaries compare and select the best choice of coverage, with free one - on - one counseling," Johnson explains..No. Citizenship is not a requirement to become eligible for either Social Security or Medicare. All that's required is legal work authorization, and a valid Social Security number, which undocumented immigrants would receive under the new executive action. After working for a long enough period, usually about ten years, individuals become eligible for Social Security retirement benefits when they meet age requirements. If they are eligible for Social Security, individuals automatically become eligible for Medicare at age 65, or after a two-year wait if disabled..Nonetheless, The Senior Citizens League urges lawmakers to act responsibly and to fund the federal government immediately so that federal agencies can operate as smoothly as possible. In the days ahead, we will keep a close eye on the evolving negotiations, and we will continue to advocate for legislative solutions that would fully fund the federal government..The federal government remained partially closed this week for the fifth straight week. It remains the longest government shutdown in United States history, and at the time of writing this week's legislative update, only minor progress had been made towards a bipartisan deal to end it..Social and recreational activities.Interest rates fell. Seven percent of Social Security financing comes from the interest earned by the assets held by the Social Security Trust Funds. Those assets are actually non-marketable government bonds, like I.O.U.s from the U.S. Treasury payable to the Social Security Trust Fund. That income stream was reduced because short term interest rates dropped to extreme lows during 2020 and so far in 2021..Despite receiving the largest Social Security cost of living adjustment in five years, the majority of retired and disabled beneficiaries will not see any increase in their net Social Security benefits in January, warns The Senior Citizens League. A big jump in Medicare Part B premiums is to blame. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that the Medicare Part B premium will be 4 for next year. That's the same amount that the Part B premium is today, but tens of millions of Medicare beneficiaries are paying less than that this year. Millions of beneficiaries pay roughly less - and their annual COLA may not be enough to cover the difference..Inflation data through April suggests that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for 2020 could be very low, perhaps 1.2%. Even though Social Security recipients received the highest COLA since 2012 this year - 2.8% - COLAs have averaged a meager 1.4% over the past decade. That's an unprecedented low rate of growth in Social Security benefits for an unprecedented period of time. From 1999 to 2009, COLAs averaged more than twice that rate of increase, at 3% per year.."Federal Cost of Living Adjustment Will Affect SNAP And Other Benefits Received Through DCFS, December 21, 2020.
