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For example, if you and your spouse were over the age of 65 in 2016 and had an AGI of ,000, you could deduct the amount of allowable medical expenses over ,750, which is 7.5% of ,000. If your total medical expenses were ,000 you could deduct ,250.Under traditional Medicare, most people need to buy a supplemental Medigap policy to cover Medicare's considerable out-of-pocket costs, and need to enroll in a private Part D plan for drug coverage. Medicare Advantage plans receive a lump-sum from Medicare to provide enrollees with all Medicare Part A and Part B benefits and usually have lower premiums than Medigap insurance. Many of the plans also provide drug coverage and are popular for providing a range of additional services that Medicare doesn't cover, such as discounts on eyeglasses or dental care. The most critical differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans are in the out-of-pocket costs required and, access to doctors and other healthcare providers..Perhaps the greatest difference between the Republican and Democrats in Congress when it comes to legislation to lower prescription drug prices is whether the federal government should impose some kind of price control or regulation..TSCL could not agree more with Congressman Schiff, and we enthusiastically lend our support to H.R. 97In the months ahead, our legislative team will work tirelessly to help build support for the critical piece of legislation..Members of the House passed the .1 trillion government-wide spending bill last Thursday, and after much debate, lawmakers in the Senate adopted it late on Saturday evening. Those in the House left Washington shortly after they approved the "cromnibus," while those in the Senate stayed in town for a few days to consider dozens of executive nominations and to pass a package of tax extenders..He continued his career at Bruce W. Eberle and Associates, another nationally-prominent direct marketing agency from 2002 2004, before making a career change and becoming Legislative Director for The Retired Enlisted Association, the largest organization exclusively for retired enlisted military personnel from all branches of the armed services in the nation. At TREA he was a registered lobbyist dealing with issues of concern to military retirees, including retired pay and health care..We should also ensure senior citizens are getting an accurate cost of living adjustment. The model the government is using right now would be fine if seniors were regularly buying iPods and laptop computers. But that's just not the case. I've proposed a better way to calculate the COLA based on items seniors actually use, such as food, housing, gasoline, healthcare and prescription drugs..That is the bad news..Like the enormous sword of Greek legend hanging by a single hair above the head of Damocles, the U.S. Totalization agreement with Mexico continues to remain hanging over our nation's Social Security program. The agreement has not yet undergone final approval, but its fate has far-reaching implications for the benefits of 53 million U.S. Social Security beneficiaries.