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Out-of-pocket costs for dental, vision, audio, physical therapy and other services not covered by Medicare or other health insurance. This also includes equipment and supplies, like glasses, hearing aid batteries, dentures and implants..Most troubling, in October we reported that Medicare Advantage plans have overcharged Medicare by almost billion in recent years. Officials know that some Medicare Advantage plans exaggerate how sick their patients are by inflating the "risk scores" in order to collect higher payments from Medicare, yet the federal government has recovered only a tiny percentage of the overpayments to private insurers in the past..Under current law, workers earning more than 0,100 today pay no Social Security taxes on their earnings over that amount. A major proposal to extend the solvency of Social Security would increase or completely eliminate the taxable maximum. What is your position?.Medicare Advantage plans are popular in many areas of the country for low, monthly premiums, having an annual out-of-pocket maximum, and for offering supplemental benefits not currently covered by Medicare, such as dental and vision coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans also provide prescription drug benefits..With medical costs and prescription drug prices rising higher than ever before, seniors living on fixed incomes are struggling to keep up and can no longer afford to be short-changed by the Social Security COLA. At Wednesday's press conference, Congressman Garamendi said: "Today - March 1st - we declare that something can be done.".For years, TSCL has been advocating on Capitol Hill for a more fair and accurate Social Security COLA for beneficiaries. The Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act legislation introduced by Rep. Michael Honda is a common-sense solution that would better protect the purchasing power of Social Security benefits since it would use a more accurate measure of inflation.."'The Senate's immediate role is clear: we need to support the federal, state, and local public health officials and healthcare professionals who are working overtime to blunt, delay, and mitigate the spread of the virus,' McConnell said. 'The American people deserve for their Congress to meet this subject head on.'".In addition, one new cosponsor Rep. Corrine Brown signed on to the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. The cosponsor total is now up to one hundred and forty-four. If signed into law, H.R. 1179 would amend current Medicare policy to count hospital stays under "observation status" towards the three-day requirement for skilled nursing care. Currently, those under "observation status" don't qualify for coverage of the benefit, and they are often hit with large, unexpected bills after receiving necessary medical care. TSCL believes the current policy is unfair, and we were glad to see support grow for H.R. 1179 this week..To avoid the fee in 2014, you need insurance that qualifies as minimal essential coverage. If affordable insurance is not available through your employer, you can shop for health insurance through your new state health insurance exchange, or market place. Middle to low income people who buy coverage through the exchanges will also get government subsidies in the form of advance refundable tax credits to help pay the premiums. These tax credits are only available if you buy coverage through the exchange. You aren't supposed to get the subsidy if you have an offer of insurance from your employer that meets the standards. You qualify for the subsidy if your income is less than 400% of the federal poverty level. So the qualification level is about ,000 or less for an individual and ,000 or less for a family of four in 2013.