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One TSCL concern remains regarding the possibility of some seniors losing their prescription drug coverage from their former employers. Therefore, we supported incentives to help businesses continue to cover their former employees. We will continue to monitor this development to help ensure that retirees are given the option to maintain coverage that they are used to and prefer..If passed, the CPI-E Act would base Social Security cost of living adjustments on a consumer price index determined by the spending habits of elderly workers instead of the current formula geared toward younger members of the workforce..This year's study finds that Social Security benefits have lost 30 percent of buying power since the year 2000. This represents a 3-percentage point improvement in Social Security buying power from our 2019 study, which found a loss of 33 percent since 2000. While lower prices are good news in the short term, the deflationary trend suggests a very low COLA in 2021..However, a rift has developed among Democrats in the House of Representatives. Those who want to empower the government to demand lower prices from drug makers are concerned that moderates in their party are now emboldened to blunt their ambitious drug-pricing agenda..On Wednesday, Congressman John Garamendi introduced the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act at a press conference with several advocates for older Americans, including TSCL. If adopted, his bill would base Social Security COLAs on a more accurate measure of inflation using the CPI-E. Currently, they are based on the way young workers spend their money using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners..Those people include Barbara B. - a retired home healthcare aide who lives in the Indianapolis area. "We're due for the increase," she says. But rising Part B premiums will likely take her entire COLA, leaving her with no increase at all in her net operating Social Security benefit again in 2018.."The spending follows a long tradition of generous political giving. Major manufacturers typically make hundreds of modest donations to incumbent members of Congress but avoid donating to presidential candidates, seeing little utility in placing presidential bets..Rep. Bill Huizinga pledged his support for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act last week. If passed, the bill would prevent illegal immigrants from receiving earned credit toward Social Security benefits. With the new co-sponsor, the total is now 69..You can learn how the earnings test works and exempt amounts by year at:. You can check your earnings record online by setting up a "my Social Security" account. To contact Social Security by phone, call, or visit your local Social Security office.