The recent battle in Congress over lifting the debt limit contained mostly good news and some not so good news, for disabled and retired Americans. The legislation rolled back an unprecedented 52% spike in Medicare Part B premiums due to affect about 15.6 million Medicare recipients, and it prevented a 19% cut in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits due to occur later this year. But the legislation contained no Cost-of-Living Adjustment relief for 2016, and closed off one of the few claiming strategies that some Americans have to boost their Social Security payouts..However, TSCL is opposed to two provisions that lawmakers included in the package to offset its 0 billion cost. One of those provisions will increase monthly premiums for beneficiaries with higher incomes, and the other will create a new 0 deductible for those enrolled in supplemental Medigap plans. Both of them will require seniors to pay more out-of-pocket for their healthcare..First, one new cosponsor Representative Steve Cohen signed on to the Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior Act, bringing the total up to five. If adopted, this bipartisan bill would improve access to affordable long-term care by eliminating the three-day prior hospitalization requirement that currently limits Medicare's coverage of patient stays in skilled nursing facilities..The non-partisan Center for Retirement Research at Boston College released the following comparison to help you learn where the candidates stand on Social Security:.As we said earlier, the end of the federal government's 2020 fiscal year is fast approaching and unless Congress can pass new funding legislation before then, we face the possibility of another government shutdown. Last week the House of Representatives passed a four-bill fiscal 2021 spending package, advancing its first annual funding measure of the year. The legislation includes State and Foreign Operations, Agriculture-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction-VA funding..Two provisions of law, known as the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset unfairly reduce, or even completely eliminate, the Social Security benefits of millions of Americans who have devoted their careers to public service, in addition to having worked other jobs that withheld payroll taxes for Social Security..Watch this video to learn more about prescription drug pricing:.The Democratic Platform Committee approved a plan that would expand the Social Security program "so that every American can retire with dignity and respect." Their document states, "We will fight every effort to cut, privatize, or weaken Social Security, including attempts to raise the retirement age, diminish benefits by cutting cost-of-living adjustments, or reducing earned benefits.".I am committed to working with both Democrats and Republicans to take common sense, reasonable steps to strengthen Medicare and make sure it is strong for both current and future seniors. These sensible reforms include implementing electronic medical records, improving coordination of healthcare services, and continuing efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse from the system.
