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TSCL has been pushing members of Congress to include legislation to reduce the price of drugs and pass legislation to deal with the practice of surprise medical billing. We were hoping those issues would be addressed at the same time as the legislation to extend the federal health programs mentioned above..This week, lawmakers continued working towards an omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year..Check the insurer's financial strength. Since you may have your.Lower than expected payroll tax revenues. Payroll taxes account for roughly 89% of Social Security's financing. But in 2020, businesses nationwide temporarily shuttered due to emergency stay at home orders. In addition, widespread layoffs, reductions in work hours, and job losses resulted in the collection of fewer payroll tax revenues. Emergency legislation that was passed last year allowed employers to even temporarily defer payment of Social Security payroll taxes until December of 2022 to help companies shore up cash flow and stay in business. While the job market is getting back on its feet again in 2021, unemployment is still higher than it was prior to the pandemic, and payroll tax revenue has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels..By Rick Delaney.This year, Medicare Part B premiums are completely offsetting COLAs for many. TSCL recently delivered letters to Congress sharing concerns from supporters around the country who saw no increase in their net benefit in 2018 despite the fact that they are receiving the largest COLA in five years. For example, one supporter of The Senior Citizens League Roland R. of Rockwall, TX was quoted in the letter, saying: "My wife and I were frustrated to see that our Medicare premium increases for Part B and Part D would be greater than the 2% COLA … Medicare is managing to reduce our 'take home' benefits for the third straight year.".TSCL's all-volunteer Board of Trustees and legislative team including former Congressman David Funderburk and Mrs. Betty Funderburk look forward to working with both new and veteran lawmakers in the 113th Congress. For more information about our legislative agenda, click HERE..The task for the Administration is to figure out how to ensure patients don't unknowingly sign away their new protections, monitor and punish providers who violate the ban, and establish a process for settling disputes, among other complicated considerations. The ban is due to take effect in January..Under traditional Medicare with Medigap, you have greater freedom to select providers and to travel and still get coverage. Medigap is the better choice for people who divide their time between homes in two different states, or who like to travel outside the U.S. Several Medigap plans cover foreign travel emergencies. On the other hand under many Medicare Advantage plans, you would need to follow your plan rules to get in-network care and would be more limited to specific geographic areas. If you join a Medicare HMO and then have a medical emergency in other part of the country where your plan does not operate you would foot 100% of the medical bill.