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The Social Security Trustees recently projected that the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be fully depleted by 201If the next Congress takes no action to address the matter, payroll taxes will only be sufficient to cover about 80 percent of benefits after Trust Fund depletion. While Congress has never permitted a trust fund to run out before, time is short to make what's likely to be difficult long-term changes. "The longer lawmakers wait at this point, the greater the chances of a funding crisis and benefit cuts," Cates says..If you are still in the retirement planning stage it's well worth the time and effort to learn all that you can about your retirement options, how much you should be saving, and what programs might be available to help you do a better job of planning your retirement. Check your community resources for retirement information, like workshops at local senior centers, libraries and community colleges, before making any decision about when to start benefits..The hold harmless provision affects Medicare beneficiaries who have their Part B premiums automatically deducted from their Social Security payments. The law protects the Social Security benefits of those people, about 70% of all Medicare beneficiaries, when an increase in the amount of the Part B premium is greater than the amount of increase that individuals would receive in their COLA. The law prohibits a reduction to an individual's monthly Social Security benefit due to rising Medicare premiums from one year to the next..On Wednesday and Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a two-part hearing to address bipartisan concerns about stabilizing the ACA's individual market, which insures around 18 million Americans many of whom are young retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare. In his opening statement, Chairman Lamar Alexander said he believes the best way to stabilize the marketplace, decrease premiums, and make certain that health insurance is available in every county would be to continue cost sharing reduction payments and increase the Section 1332 state waiver program.."… Many of our constituents have not received urgently-needed packages such as prescription medications. The Department of Veterans Affairs saw a 25% delay in delivery of prescriptions mailed by the U.S. Postal Service in 2020.".On Thursday, HELP Committee Members heard from the governors of five states, who offered their guidance on improving the individual market. Governor John Hickenlooper explained that states have long been the test labs of democratic experiments and they are in an exceptional position to propose unique solutions. He and others who testified at Thursday's hearing agreed that CSRs must continue to be funded and that lawmakers should consider creating an emergency stabilization fund to decrease the skyrocketing premiums many individuals are currently facing. Governor Charlie Baker summarized the spirit of the hearing when he said "health coverage is a shared commitment," and although the opinions of elected officials vary widely, they are dedicated to working to solutions together..The federal government negotiates prescription drug prices for Medicaid and for veterans, but it is not allowed to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. Do you support this policy?.What if I make a donation and then become dissatisfied with TSCL?.We need to work together to reduce the deficit in a balanced way, not on the backs of seniors and middle class families who have worked hard, contributed their fair share and played by the rules all their lives. I ran for Congress to fight for Illinois seniors and I'll continue to do my part to protect and preserve Medicare, so it will be strong for the working families I represent for the next forty-eight years and beyond.