Blog Innovations In Election Technology"The 6.7 percent increase in the Part B premium is the largest since 2006 for a year in which a COLA is payable," Johnson says. There have been bigger jumps in Part B premiums as recently as 2016 and 2017, but those were two years in which there was no or almost no COLA paid. This situation can cause unusually high Part B premium spikes..It also depends on the willingness of the American people to get the vaccine shot. Right now, there seems to be a reluctance among people because of, among other things, the uncertainty about the safety of a vaccine that has been rushed to market. It is a special concern for seniors because they do not often respond as well to medicines, including vaccines, as younger people do..In addition, one new cosponsor Rep. Marcy Kaptur signed on to Rep. Peter DeFazio's No Loopholes in Social Security Taxes Act, bringing the total to twenty-eight. Rep. DeFazio's bill would subject all income over 0,000 to the Social Security payroll tax, reportedly adding another fifty years to the solvency of the Trust Fund. Currently, the payroll tax is capped at 3,700, and no income over that amount is taxed. … Continued
Energy Planning For The Evolving Electric GridA recent report by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services has also found that high price drugs are affecting federal spending on drugs and increasing federal payments for Medicare Part D catastrophic coverage. Once people hit the catastrophic level of Part D coverage, beneficiaries pay a 5% coinsurance for drugs while the Federal Government pays the vast majority of the remaining costs. But there is no limit. The Inspector General's report said that federal payments for catastrophic coverage in 2015 exceeded .2 billion in 2015, which is more than triple the amount paid in 20Incredibly, only ten high-priced drugs accounted for nearly one-third of all drug spending in catastrophic coverage in 2015..However, the swell of seniors who qualify for Medicare has outpaced the number of doctors available to treat them. Every day, an estimated 10,000 Americans turn 65 and become eligible for the government program, the Census Bureau reported..Also last week, House Democrats unveiled a range of health care measures to be included in their coming .5 trillion package, including provisions to lower prescription drug prices and expand Medicaid in the 12 GOP-led states that have refused to do so. The measure unveiled by the House Energy and Commerce Committee includes legislation to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower drug prices, known as H.R. 3. … Continued
