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The 2020 Social Security Trustees Annual Report, April 22, 2020..Remember "Flo"? In 1999 she was the blond, perky, mature lady who came onto our TV screens telling us that she was here "to tell seniors about changes that affect our medicines." She would end by saying "I don't want big government in my medicine cabinet." Flo implied that, if Medicare provided a drug benefit for seniors, it would stifle research and development of new life-saving drugs coming to market and restrict access to drugs a patient was already taking..According to TSCL's research, Barbara is correct. Since 2000, Social Security benefits have lost 30 percent of their buying power due to inaccurate COLAs, and in the last year alone, they have lost 7 percent. This loss of purchasing power has occurred because Social Security COLAs are based on the spending patterns of young, urban workers not the spending patterns of retirees..While you probably won't find any single professional who can provide you with all the answers you may need for your mom, most areas of the country have access to an Agency on Aging that can help put you in touch with a number of valuable resources and people who can answer your questions. Most agencies serve specific geographic areas of several neighboring counties, although some operate statewide in less populated states. All Area Agencies on Aging receive federal funding that is supplemented with additional state and local funding..This cost shift hits includes retirees with the lowest incomes. Specifically it hits their state Medicaid budgets that pay Part B premiums for low-income Medicare beneficiaries - about 19% of all Medicare recipients. If Medicare Part B premiums go up by more than .40 per month in 2021, that would add yet another fiscal shock to state budgets that are already strained to the limit due to the coronavirus pandemic..But we all must face the reality that unless we continue the safety measures of masks and handwashing, this will get worse..On Thursday, more than ninety new lawmakers were sworn into office and members of the 113th Congress assembled for the first time. The House of Representatives gained eighty-two new lawmakers forty-seven Democrats and thirty-five Republicans and the Senate gained twelve newly elected lawmakers eight Democrats, three Republicans, and one Independent..Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired..The law, however, also shifts the entire beneficiary share of Part B premium costs to the remaining 30% of individuals who are not protected by the hold harmless provision. An estimated 16 million people will take a financial hit from spiking Part B premiums unless Congress takes action. They include:

Health Reform Poll Finding Kaiser Health Tracking Poll Future Directions For The Aca And Medicaid

According to ModernHealthcare.com, "Congressional Democrats are hoping to pass a slew of healthcare priorities later this year aimed at expanding access to coverage and making it more affordable for patients..Shortly after the ruling was issued, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said his department would not begin accepting applications for the deferred deportation program on Wednesday as scheduled. The program would have allowed an estimated 330,000 illegal immigrants to apply for work permits and deportation deferrals. Secretary Johnson also said the administration will suspend May plans to begin accepting deferred deportation requests from the parents of U.S. citizens. In total, the two programs would have delayed the deportation of more than 4 million illegal immigrants..I'm confused about the new health insurance requirements under Obamacare. When does it start and how does it affect seniors? I'm 62 and still working. I don't have insurance. My husband is 65 and started Medicare a few months ago. … Continued

Report Section Factors Associated With Covid 19 Cases And Deaths In Long Term Care Facilities Findings From A Literature Review Appendix

I was born during the Notch period. I would like to know how long Notch Babies have been underpaid. In addition could you tell me if the underpayment has been corrected and if we are receiving the right amount now? - M.R. Fort Cobb, OK.Congress has reallocated payroll taxes at least 9 times in the past to temporarily avert trust fund financing crises, according to the Congressional Research Service. "Doing so now would be much more difficult, because the retirement program is in cash deficit, and the government is borrowing money to cover retirement and survivor benefits," Cates points out. "Reallocation from the retirement trust fund would mean the government would have to borrow more, a recipe for more explosive debt limit show downs in coming months," he says. "The situation could put all Social Security benefits, including retirement and survivors benefits, at risk of cuts in debt limit negotiations," Cates explains..Two years is a long time for even Members of Congress to go without a paycheck giving them a good incentive to bury the budget hatchet. The government will again reach the federal budget limit later this fall. A group of Republican senators have been meeting privately with the White House to lay the groundwork for a deficit reduction agreement. President Obama included a proposal to cut Social Security cost-of-living-adjustments in his fiscal year 2014 budget. GOP leaders are trying to work out a compromise on a new spending agreement. TSCL is fighting COLA cuts and visiting Members of Congress. We urge you to send letters to the editor of your local media to educate the public on the importance of the COLA and to use examples of rising costs that illustrate the erosion in the buying power of your benefits. … Continued