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When comparing plans, beneficiaries are generally told to check premium costs, deductibles and other cost-sharing, whether the plan covers the drugs you actually take, provider networks, and added benefits, if any, not covered by Medicare. All of that is essential. But one key consideration that can be overlooked is how the plan uses prior authorization..Obamacare Medicaid Expansion Creates New Inequities For Seniors.The federal government negotiates prescription drug prices for Medicaid enrollees and for veterans, but it is not allowed to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. Do you support this policy?.Congress Adjourns for Holiday Recess.TSCL will continue to keep a close eye on the evolving immigration negotiations, and we remain hopeful that in the very near future, lawmakers will consider loophole-closing legislation that would prevent Social Security credits from being earned by work done illegally. For updates on the discussions, visit the Legislative News section of our website..Nearly, 1.5 million people are affected by the WEP, which reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, a teacher who spends his or her summers working a second job or a police officer who leaves the force after years of service but is not quite ready to retire can see their benefits reduced by as much as 40 percent. However, a similar worker with a private sector pension would not see this kind of reduction. We are punishing public sector employees such as our teachers, firefighters, and police officers..Providers couldn't send patients a balance bill for any amounts that exceed the cost-sharing requirement in those scenarios..During our slow, arduous economic recovery that followed the financial crisis and recession of 2008 and 2009, many government programs, Social Security in particular, were stretched to the limit. A number that made headlines last year was the Social Security Trustees' estimate that the Social Security trust funds would run a billion cash deficit in 20Most of the time when the Social Security trust fund is referred to, we mean two trust funds - the old-age and survivor's insurance trust fund, that pays retirement and widows benefits, and the disability insurance trust fund..In the meantime, Senators have been advised they will be given 24 hours' notice to return to Washington if somehow agreement can be reached on a new economic relief bill. But any Senator has the power to block that from happening and it is estimated there are about 20 Republicans in the Senate who believe the federal government has done enough regarding the coronavirus.