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..At age 62, Susan Gross of Barboursville, Virginia, is nearing retirement age, but has no plans to stop working yet. High prescription costs and the need to provide care for a disabled adult son and her 90 - year old mother are other major reasons. With her rheumatoid arthritis medication, Humira, costing ,900 a month, both Susan and her husband continue to work full time. Susan is dependent on the health insurance coverage available through her husband's employer to help her afford her medications..We at TSCL urge you not to put off medical care if you need it. If you are worried about being infected with the virus call your doctor's or dentist's office and ask them what Covid-19 precautions they are following to protect their patients. Many doctors have taken extra special measures, including requiring that everyone wear a mask and keeping people out of waiting rooms until the actual time of their appointment. Many waiting rooms have far fewer chairs in them, and they are spaced far apart for those patients awaiting their appointments..TSCL will be keeping a close eye on this subject because we know that so many seniors and their families are desperately hoping there will be some new breakthrough that will effectively treatment Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. But the cost of this drug is so expensive, and it could have a major impact on the Medicare budget that already is in critical financial condition..A balanced budget amendment to the constitution might sound like a good idea on the surface, but when the details are examined, it could be disastrous for programs like Social Security and Medicare. The Senior Citizens League tirelessly advocated against its adoption when it was considered earlier this year, and because lawmakers aren't giving up on it anytime soon, we aren't either..This week, one new cosponsor Rep. Glenn Thompson signed on to the Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act, bringing the total up to forty-nine. If signed into law, the PRIME Act would take a number of steps to comprehensively prevent fraud, waste, and abuse within the two programs a problem that TSCL believes must be addressed in order to ensure that scarce program dollars are being spent properly..Rx for Medicare's Doctors' Pay Formula.To make matters worse for them, the Democrats are divided on how to proceed with those bills and unless they can come to an agreement those measures will go nowhere..If you experience a steep rapid price increase like this, where the drug doubles or quadruples as it did for Janice, first check with your drug plan to learn whether the drug is still covered by your plan. You can double check the price you have been quoted by using the Medicare drug plan finder at. If the drug is covered and the price has increased like this example, please contact your Members of Congress, starting with your Representative in the House and share details about the cost increase of your drug. Members of the House have announced hearings in coming weeks to investigate this sort of price gouging and your Representative will be interested in hearing your story.
