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Food is one of the top three categories of expenses for most people who rely on Social Security. While the price of gasoline has gone down, food costs, especially meats, have continued to climb. Here are five ways to lower the food bill:.Find out if there are less costly options you can try: If you learn you are taking an expensive drug or one that's not covered by your drug plan, call your doctor to find out if there are generics or older, less expensive drugs that you could try. When trying out a new prescription ask your doctor for free samples, to allow time to determine whether it will treat your condition as effectively, and to monitor for potential negative side effects..That is why TSCL so strongly opposes the President's proposal. True, it would be a boost for those now employed. But it will do nothing for those who are unemployed, and those are the people who need the most help right now. There are other ways to aid them, as well as to help the currently employed..According to AARP, about 94% of widely-used brand-name drugs that were on the market between 2005 and 2017 nearly doubled in price. And in 2017, the average annual cost of specialty drugs - which treat complex conditions like cancer - was about ,800. In contrast, the average Social Security benefit in 2017 was just ,800..Will you pay taxes on your Social Security benefits this year? Take TSCL's annual Senior Survey, visit..Progressives see expanding the popular entitlement as essential to fulfilling their campaign pledges and keeping Democratic control of the House and Senate. But the reforms threaten the bottom line of insurers who administer private Medicare plans and sell supplemental coverage for dental, vision and hearing services. Groups like the American Dental Association, worried their members will be paid less in traditional Medicare than in private Medicare plans, are also pushing to limit the new benefits to the poorest Americans..Mary Johnson a policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League told Stephen Ohlemacher of the Associated Press that she has serious concerns about the long-term impact of Tuesday's COLA announcement. She said, "This loss of anticipated retirement income compounds every year, causing people to spend through retirement savings far more quickly than planned. Over the course of a 25- or 30-year retirement, it reduces anticipated Social Security income by tens of thousands of dollars.".While Mr. Shkreli has become the poster boy for this price gouging, he is certainly not alone. These tactics are prominent throughout the entire industry. Drug company executives are buying life-saving drugs and increasing the prices astronomically to line their own pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation..Medicare remains a target of budget cuts in Washington as political leaders and other policy makers consider potential changes to the program. How much do you know about Medicare, the people it serves, the benefits it covers, and its financial status?