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The COLA is intended to protect the purchasing power of the benefits received by older and disabled Americans. A 30 percent loss in buying power over a 20 - year retirement period indicates the COLA is failing to provide that protection. The Social Security COLA, as currently calculated, is a poor match to the price changes actually experienced by the people it is intended to protect..A common debate is re-emerging this year over Social Security's "deficit, " as the federal borrowing limit looms. The debt limit, which was suspended since late 2015, was re-instated on March 16th. That debt limit sets the money the Treasury can borrow to pay for federal obligations, including money owed to the Social Security Trust Fund..This week, lawmakers in the House remained in their home districts, while those in the Senate returned to Capitol Hill to begin working on a plan to avoid a government shutdown. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw three key bills gain support..Even when patients do seek treatment at a hospital mainly staffed by doctors in their insurance plans, they might wind up being treated by an out-of-network specialist. Worsening the problem, insurers have narrowed their networks of preferred doctors over the years in hopes of steering patients away from hospitals to lower-cost outpatient facilities and doctors..The previous changes have not only resulted in cutting the growth of COLAs received by Social Security recipients, but those of military retirees and COLA recipients in all other federal benefit programs as well. They came after a 1996 government commission headed by economist Michael Boskin said the CPI overstated the rate of inflation, and thus "overpaid" COLA recipients. Proponents of slowing COLA growth today make the same argument..Nonetheless, The Senior Citizens League urges lawmakers to act responsibly and to fund the federal government immediately so that federal agencies can operate as smoothly as possible. In the days ahead, we will keep a close eye on the evolving negotiations, and we will continue to advocate for legislative solutions that would fully fund the federal government..For most Americans, the prices of essential prescription drugs are increasing far too rapidly for family budgets to sustain. Many Americans are being forced to choose between paying household bills and purchasing life-saving medications. The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation issued a poll last October reporting that 77% of Americans - Democrats, Independents, and Republicans - identified the increasing prices of prescription drugs as their number one health concern.The American people are absolutely right..Social Security beneficiaries have lost nearly one-third of their buying power since 2000, according to the 2017 Social Security Loss of Buying Power Study released by The Senior Citizens League. The findings represent a big 7% loss in buying power just over the past 12 months, from 23% in 2016 to 30% in 201This occurred as inflation has begun to climb, but people receiving Social Security received an annual cost-of-living adjustment of just 0.3% for 201Housing and medical costs - particularly for prescription drug expenses - were among the most rapidly rising spending categories over the past year..Increase the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to reflect the inflation experienced by retirees.