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Get the Seasonal Flu Vaccine but Not Just Yet.The estimated depletion date for the Medicare Part A trust fund is 202At that time, program income will be sufficient to pay 90% of total scheduled benefits. The Part B trust fund is financed differently, with premiums and general revenue funding changing each year to reflect projected spending, so Part B is expected to be adequately financed "for the next 10 years and beyond.".The Social Security COLA was created to protect the purchasing power of Social Security benefits received by older and disabled Americans, but the results of this new study show that seniors are failing to keep up with rising costs. In recent years, inflation and COLAs have been at record low levels, averaging just 1.2 percent per year since 20In 2018, Social Security beneficiaries received a COLA of 2 percent, yet most saw no increase at all in their net benefits due to substantially higher Medicare Part B premiums..TSCL agrees enthusiastically and we believe the SAVE Benefits Act introduced by Sen. Warren and Rep. Grayson would go a long way in ensuring the retirement security seniors have earned. We look forward to working with them in the months ahead to build support for their critical new bill..What do you think of the Obama Administration's Immigration Amnesty actions by Executive Order?.He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Manassas Museum in Manassas, Virginia, and a former board member of the Retiresafe association..Leadership Elections Kick Off "Lame Duck" Session.As FDR once said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." We will learn the lessons your generation has taught us and not give in to fear. With your support, we will preserve that which we promised and leave a legacy to our posterity..Caregiver support: You and others helping with your mom can get caregiver training and information about respite care.

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We should also ensure senior citizens are getting an accurate cost of living adjustment. The model the government is using right now would be fine if seniors were regularly buying iPods and laptop computers. But that's just not the case. I've proposed a better way to calculate the COLA based on items seniors actually use, such as food, housing, gasoline, healthcare and prescription drugs..The plans also reduce spending on premiums, because they eliminate the need for supplemental insurance. While the majority of Medicare beneficiaries still receive their Medicare benefits through traditional Medicare, many also purchase a Medicare supplement or "Medigap" policy to cover the considerable amount of out-of-pocket spending that Medicare alone does not cover, and a free-standing Part D drug plan..The hold-harmless provision was again triggered on a nation-wide basis in 2016, when the COLA was zero, and again in 2017, when it was just 0.03 percent. In the meantime the Part B premium rose to 4.00 per month. In 2018, the COLA finally boosted benefits by 2 percent, but even so, roughly half of all beneficiaries reported that the increase in Part B premiums offset their entire COLA this year. … Continued

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Also, in the days leading up to the election many candidates will make appearances at local events, giving concerned voters an excellent opportunity to have their questions addressed. We encourage you to approach your Senators, Representatives, and candidates to request their support for fair cost-of-living adjustments and other key issues affecting seniors..In the debate over lowering prescription drug prices, I see frequent mention of allowing importation of drugs from other countries. How would that work for people enrolled in Medicare Part D?.Because of your concerns in this regard, you will be pleased to learn of H.R. 1030, the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 201This legislation would direct the Department of Labor to prepare and publish a monthly CPI for Elderly Consumers that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption that is typical for individuals 62 years or older. The bill would then amend current law to provide for the use of such new CPI in the computation of COLA increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits. … Continued