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Verma has an extensive background working with the Medicaid program, but she lacks experience working on complicated Medicare issues. Should Republicans in Congress successfully repeal the ACA as planned, she will oversee the transition period, as well as the implementation of a possible replacement plan. Verma will also be tasked with administering the Medicare program as it navigates a funding crisis caused by the ACA's expected repeal..Also this week, one new cosponsor Rep. Lou Barletta signed on to Rep. John Duncan's CPI for Seniors Act. The cosponsor total for this bill is now at 11..For updates on the drug importation issue, follow TSCL on Twitter or visit the Legislative News section of our website..TSCL Calls for End to Payroll Tax Holiday.The government will announce the 2017 COLA on October 18, 2016 and it remains to be seen whether Congress will take action to protect older Americans and state Medicaid budgets from unexpectedly high Medicare Part B premium costs. In response to similar circumstances last fall, Congress passed legislation that modified the Part B premium spike to the amount it would have increased if the hold harmless provision had not gone into effect..Compare plans: Once you have entered all the information you will get your results. The results are available for both 2012 and 2013, but check and see which you are looking at. You first should compare how your current coverage is changing for 201You will also be surprised by what a difference a year makes in your lowest cost plan from 2012 to 201When making comparisons, check all the details. The results page allows you to compare up to three plans side by side. This is enormously helpful when juggling so many plans and details. Check the boxes of three you would like to compare. When comparing health plans, for example, you will see links to health plan benefits, drug costs and coverage, and plan ratings. Click each and print out results..Lawmakers Work Towards Omnibus.Perhaps the most ambitious effort on behalf of the Obama administration to fight Medicare fraud, abuse, and wasteful spending is the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The program will use networks of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers that form a partnership to provide increased accountability toward savings. MSSP is administered by CMS and will aim to bring together in partnerships up to 270 physicians, specialists, hospitals, and long-term care facilities across the country to participate in the program. If effective, the program will reduce healthcare costs by eliminating wasteful and inefficient practices that could save Medicare an estimated 0 million over the next four years..Medicare pays for a wide range of services including many preventive benefits, but routine eye care is not one of them. Medicare-eligible adults with diabetes can, however, get a dilated eye exam to check for diabetic eye disease. The patient's primary.How Much of Your Social Security Is Taken By Medicare Costs?

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Congressman Garamendi Introduces CPI-E Act.Senate Committee Debates Future of ACA.Congressional CornerCongressional Corner: Protecting Against A New Wave of Senior Scams Congressional Corner: Rebuilding the Economy Needs to Include Mobility for Senior Citizens Congressional Corner: Two Social Security Provisions That Need to be Fixed Congressional Corner: We Can Ensure Social Security and Medicare Work. There Are Ways to do Both! Congressional Corner: It's Time for Seniors to get a Fair COLA Congressional Corner: Medicare Should Protect Your Teeth Too! Congressional Corner: Legislation Would Abolish Two Provisions That Reduce Social Security Benefits of Public Employees Congressional Corner: Planning for the Future Congressional Corner: Capping Drug Costs Could Negatively Impact Rural Health Care Systems Congressional Corner: Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Should Never Be a Partisan Issue Congressional Corner: Mediocre For All. Rural Healthcare's Road Trip to Ruin Congressional Corner: To Stay Healthy And Enjoy Retirement Means Protecting Earned Benefits and Cutting Drug Prices Congressional Corner: Two Bills That Would Bring Down High Prescription Drug Costs Congressional Corner: We Cannot Cut Medicare and Medicaid Congressional Corner: As Congress Fights Robocalls, Take Steps to Protect Yourself Congressional Corner: Fighting Back Against Senior Scammers Congressional Corner: It's Time to Tackle the High Cost of Prescription Drugs Congressional Corner: We Need Competition In Prescription Drug Pricing and to Stop Abusive Conduct That Keep Drug Costs High Congressional Corner: It's Time for Seniors to Get a Fair COLA Congressional Corner: Two Social Security Provisions Unfairly Penalize Millions of Teachers, Firefighters and Public Sector Workers … Continued

Health Reform Issue Brief Implementing New Private Health Insurance Market Rules 2

There was no Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA, applied to Social Security benefits for 2011, and that may cause great concern for senior citizens and those who care for them. This will leave 54 million beneficiaries who receive a Social Security check each month without an increase..Alexandria, VA leading proposal to temporarily fix the looming insolvency of the Social Security disability trust fund by reallocating payroll taxes has virtually no support among seniors, according to a new poll by The Senior Citizens League. Less than one percent of seniors polled said shifting revenues from the Social Security retirement trust fund to pay disability benefits was the best way to fix the disability program's financing. "TSCL believes this 'band aid' approach will not be quietly tolerated this time around," says TSCL Chairman Ed Cates. "Today's senior voters have clear preferences for how they think lawmakers should address the disability program's funding shortfalls - reallocation of payroll taxes from the trust fund that pays retirement benefits is not one of them," Cates states..While the additional payroll tax went directly to the Part A Trust Fund, the 3.8% "Medicare" net investment tax was never transferred to Part A. It wound up going straight into the U.S. General Fund where it could be appropriated for any government spending. … Continued