"The measure would generally limit surprise billing in the following circumstances:.New Congress Sworn in but Little in the Way of Legislation Yet.The last time no COLA was payable, was in 201The Medicare Trustees had estimated Part B premiums would increase by an unprecedented 52%. Congress enacted legislation that limited the premium increase to 16%, but also required a per month "repayment" to make up the difference in subsequent years. After deduction for Part B premiums, roughly half of all beneficiaries saw no growth in their net Social Security benefits from 2016 until 2019, when there was a 2.8% COLA, according to TSCL's annual surveys..To avoid the fee in 2014, you need insurance that qualifies as minimal essential coverage. If affordable insurance is not available through your employer, you can shop for health insurance through your new state health insurance exchange, or market place. Middle to low income people who buy coverage through the exchanges will also get government subsidies in the form of advance refundable tax credits to help pay the premiums. These tax credits are only available if you buy coverage through the exchange. You aren't supposed to get the subsidy if you have an offer of insurance from your employer that meets the standards. You qualify for the subsidy if your income is less than 400% of the federal poverty level. So the qualification level is about ,000 or less for an individual and ,000 or less for a family of four in 2013..doctor are far less expensive when you get there under your own steam rather.TSCL does not give money to campaigns for political office and in one way that puts us at a disadvantage as compared with the big corporations. But we have something they do not have: YOU..Grassroots lobbying is perhaps the most effective way to let YOUR Representative and Senators know your opinion. Whether you are calling into a local or Washington, D.C. office; sending a letter or e-mail; signing a petition, or making a personal visit, Members of Congress are the most receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents..According to Congressional Quarterly, appropriators will begin conference negotiations to reconcile their fiscal 2015 bills this summer, leaving plenty of time before the mid-term elections and the October 1st start of the fiscal year. In the meantime, TSCL will continue to keep a close eye on the Labor-HHS-Education measure, since significant funding decreases could negatively impact the Social Security and Medicare programs..Medicare Part D discounts in the "doughnut hole." Once both drug plan enrollees and their plan have spent the initial coverage amount, they reach the Part D coverage gap or "doughnut hole." Prior to the Affordable Care Act, seniors paid 100% of drug costs in the doughnut hole, unless they were covered by a plan that provided some gap coverage. Under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, once seniors hit the coverage gap, they get a 50% discount on covered brand name drugs and pay 86% of the plan's costs for covered generic drugs until they spend a total of ,700 for the year. Some plans offer additional coverage for generics during the gap.
