News

If you require a non-formulary drug, for which there is no acceptable alternative, your doctor can ask your Medicare drug plan for a Formulary Exception, a type of Coverage Determination that would add the drug to your Part D plan coverage. If approved, you would be able to purchase your medication at the lower plan co-insurance and receive discounts if or when you reach the Part D doughnut hole..Unfortunately, the two other changes that took effect last month will not affect seniors as positively. Young retirees will be hit with an increase in the threshold for the itemized deductions of medical expenses. Those under the age of sixty-five will not be able to deduct unreimbursed medical expenses unless they account for at least 10 percent of adjusted gross income. Those over the age of sixty-five may continue using the 7.5 percent threshold until 2017; however, all seniors should beware that this tax provision may be modified or even eliminated as lawmakers continue to search for ways to reduce the deficit..everything just crashes. By the time we turn 65 and eligible for Medicare,.The Social Security Trustees forecast that the disability trust fund will be completely exhausted by 201What do you feel should be done to ensure that the disabled continue to receive their benefits?.With no increase in Social Security benefits over the past two.There were certain federal health programs set to expire at the end of May, but the expiration date was extended to Nov. 30 in one of the recently passed bills to deal with the coronavirus situation..TSCL is working with Members of Congress for enactment of legislation in both the House and Senate that would require Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries. Recently TSCL launched a nationwide grassroots effort to urging Americans to contact Members of Congress to protest how big drug companies are getting away with steep prices on drugs, and to urge them to enact legislation that would make Medicare responsible for negotiating drug prices. Join the effort, sign our petition!.To learn how much the COLA cuts would cost you, try TSCL's "chained" COLA calculator..This includes, among other things, legislation to strengthen the long-term viability of both Social Security and Medicare; lowering the costs of prescription drugs; enacting a fair COLA that takes into account the actual cost of living increases seniors face; Social Security Notch Reform; stopping any cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, or to the COLA that may be proposed; enacting legislation to provide for dental, vision and hearing coverage for seniors.