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A new report suggests that "product hopping" - a practice by drug companies to extend their patents on profitable drugs - costs American consumers and the U.S. health care system billions of dollars each year..The main source of funding for Social Security comes from the payroll taxes that workers pay into the program. But there are two other sources of revenues: taxes that retirees pay on their Social Security benefits, and the "interest" earned by the "I.O.U.s" held by the Social Security Trust Fund..With inflation soaring in 2021, The Senior Citizens League has received dozens of emails from retired and disabled adults who say they have cut back on prescription drugs to cope with rising costs, because they have no savings. Said one disabled retiree, "My husband and I have Social Security as our only income. All of our savings went to pay my medical bills. I have seven prescriptions and my husband has three. They are each a minimum of co-pay per month. We have no extra money. Our grocery budget is the only place we can cut from if we want to pay medical bills.".TSCL believes Congress will need to make some difficult spending cut decisions, and soon, in order to find the savings needed to address Medicare shortfalls, while ensuring access to doctors and adequate Medicare coverage without reducing benefits. Notch Babies who turn 85 to 94 this year are hit particularly hard because they are at the age when they are more likely to have chronic health conditions that require costly treatment.."Even under limited immigration reform that provides only work authorization and a valid Social Security number, immigrants would become entitled to Social Security benefits," Cates says. "Citizenship is not a requirement to receive benefits," he adds. But with Congress and President Obama debating cuts to Social Security, seniors are lining up against reform that would allow millions of new immigrants to benefit from work under fraudulent numbers. A recent TSCL survey found that 87 percent of seniors strongly favor prohibiting payment of Social Security benefits that are based on earnings from unauthorized work. TSCL supports immigration reform measures that would prohibit earnings from work prior to gaining legal authorization for use in determining Social Security benefits..Get help. Free one-on-one counseling is available to assist you in comparing health plans through your State Health Insurance Program : Check this link for your local program and make an appointment with a counsellor. Medicare Open Enrollment starts October 15 and runs through December 7, 202Medicare counselors can help you consider important pros and cons. There are hidden pitfalls to some choices. Dropping your current coverage in favor of a low - cost health plan touting extra benefits is not a good idea until you've checked important details..This week, TSCL announced its support for the Improving Care for Vulnerable Older Citizens through Workforce Advancement Act, which was introduced by Sen. Bob Casey in the Senate, and by Rep. Matt Cartwright in the House. If signed into law, the bill would create six different demonstration projects that would focus on the coordination of care for elderly patients with multiple chronic illnesses. It would put Direct Care Workers such as nursing assistants, home health aides, or personal care aides in advanced roles, and it would test and evaluate different models of care coordination..Meanwhile, the House of Representatives announced they will also be taking the usual August recess if they get needed legislation passed before then..It sounds like you are very fortunate. Under Medicare, your Part D prescription drug initial coverage limit is just ,3At the price of Humira you would hit the Part D doughnut hole or coverage gap the second time you filled your prescription. According to the Medicare's drug plan software, your estimated lowest cost for a full year, including your drug plan premium, would be in the vicinity of ,036.