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For the past several years, Social Security's Disability Insurance program has been facing financing challenges. In the fall of 2015, lawmakers took action to prevent a 19% benefit cut that would have affected 10 million disabled enrollees and dependents, extending the program's solvency past 201However, more work remains before the program can be considered financially stable. In September, lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee took the first steps toward improving the program's solvency when they held a hearing to discuss its future..But according to a report in Politco last week, "… the administration's Medicare team has put together a revised plan - which was circulated inside the administration on Tuesday, with instructions to expedite approval - to start sending letters to 39 million beneficiaries within the next week, touting the drug-discount cards. The cards would then arrive across December and January, according to four officials with knowledge of the plan.".The Social Security OIG report concluded, "Having an SSN on the MBR - regardless of the date of entitlement - improves the Social Security Administration's ability to prevent improper payments," and recommended that the agency take additional steps to ensure the oldest auxiliary beneficiaries without an SSN are still alive. Yet the Social Security Administration disagreed, saying that the Agency "believed current policies and safeguards were appropriate to meet program needs.".This week, action on Capitol Hill slowed down as the House of Representatives adjourned for a holiday recess, and the Senate focused on legislation to reauthorize programs within the FDA. Meanwhile, TSCL expressed support for a new House resolution, introduced by Rep. Scott Rigell..This year's Trustees Reports show that both programs face modest financial challenges that can be addressed by Congress with minor reforms. The Senior Citizens League supports the passage of legislation like the Social Security 2100 Act or the Social Security Expansion Act, both of which would strengthen the Social Security program's finances responsibly, without cutting benefits for current or future retirees. In addition, we hope Congress will pass legislation to bring down prescription drug costs in the Medicare program. Requiring Part D drug price negotiation would save billions of dollars for both the federal government and Medicare beneficiaries..Since 2007 the government has determined Part B premiums based on income. The government uses the most current tax return to determine income. For 2011, your mother's 2009 income was used. Individuals with incomes over ,000 or married couples with incomes of 0,000 are subject to the higher premiums. The healthcare reform legislation passed in 2010 expanded "means testing" to include Part D. Based on income, seniors pay a monthly surcharge of to .10 on top of the premium charged by their plan..If you find yourself in the situation where it's getting difficult to afford your prescriptions, Medicare has a program known as "Extra Help," that pays for some or even most of your out-of-pocket drug costs. You qualify if your monthly income is less than ,538 for individuals or ,078 for couples, and your assets are lower than the specified amount :.Which costs are rising fastest for you? Take TSCL's annual Senior Survey, visit..Government and private economists are warning of major financial turmoil and another recession if Congress can't get their act together to address the rising level of federal debt that is estimated to equal 70 percent of our total national output by the end of the year. Our nation's ability to pay the interest and its debt obligations has everything to do with our benefits.