Racial Equity And Health Policy Issue Brief Disparities In Health And Health Care 5 Key Question And AnswersPut a medical emergency plan into place, before you need one: Having no plan for emergencies, especially if you live alone, or with a spouse who also needs special care means you need to have a medical emergency plan in case something happens to you. Often doctors will order observation care when you are too sick to safely go home. Although this can still occur even with the best-laid plan, you may be able to reduce the length of an observation stay if you have someone who will take care of you once you are released..High premiums don't necessarily purchase better coverage. The generic blood pressure medication, Lisinopril, is one of the most commonly used prescriptions by Medicare beneficiaries. The least expensive Part D plan charges 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..The tax cut, which reduced the Social Security payroll tax for employees from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent, makes the Social Security trust funds reliant on general revenues and undermines the self-funding nature of the program. Social Security is funded by payroll taxes, and currently faces a billion cash-flow deficit. Extending the tax cut could exacerbate the program's funding issues..For example, if the price of gasoline soars do people spend more on gas for their autos, or make fewer trips? Because Social Security recipients are living on fixed income, they don't always have the leeway to spend more, meaning larger numbers of seniors might drive less. Younger consumers on a budget and people who are out of work, may be in the same boat. And if a lot of consumers are in the same fix, and wind up driving less, this measure is likely to show that inflation didn't increase much, even though the price of gas at the pump is stratospheric. That would mean your COLA wouldn't grow either, even though cost inflation may be soaring. copay for the drug, and the plan's monthly premium is just .50 in the zip code used in the analysis. The most expensive plan charges a co-pay of .19, and the plan has a monthly premium of .30. Counting premiums, that's a difference of ,055.88 for the entire year..TSCL understands that some changes to Medicare may be necessary to secure the long-term future of the program. However, we strongly believe that any changes should be phased in gradually and should not affect those nearing retirement. In addition, TSCL believes that the government must increase its efforts to combat Medicare fraud a growing issue that costs between billion and billion each year. … Continued
Voting EquipmentA report came out this weekend about the possibility of new major cuts to Medicare. This could result because of Senate rules about how many votes it takes to pass legislation..When it comes to the Social Security cost-of-living adjustments many, if not most, of you say that you feel the government is cooking the inflation data. The COLA seldom seems to reflect the growing costs you experience. Two factors are to blame; the choice of a consumer price index used to calculate your COLA, and the methodology that our government uses to calculate price inflation to begin with..Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced S. 2023 on September 10, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance. … Continued
