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Your persistent support in signing petitions, sending email, and letters to your Members of Congress have helped build the highest level of co-sponsorship in more than ten years..In 2016, seniors who depend on Social Security to make ends meet received no annual cost of living increase. Social Security is supposed to be indexed to inflation so that when prices go up, benefits go up too. But Congress's formula isn't geared to what older Americans actually spend. So even though the cost of core goods and services has gone up, seniors who are already struggling to scrape by to cover rent and exploding prescription drug prices, are scrambling..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..The report stated that the four changes together would eliminate 113% of Social Security's projected long-term financing gap. The majority of participants, who included all income levels, and political party affiliations, preferred the package of changes. "This survey reflects similar findings to surveys conducted by TSCL," says TSCL's Executive Director Shannon Benton. We hope that this survey can serve as an outline for a plan to strengthen Social Security without having to rely on benefit cuts," she states. "We encourage our readers to share the findings of this study with your Members of Congress," Benton adds..While a compromise was not reached, some consider the automatic budget cuts as a silver lining. "The good news, if there is no agreement, the nation is going to end up with what Republicans said, there will be a dollar spending reduction for every dollar increase in the debt ceiling" said Hensarling. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney echoed the same optimism: "It's important to remember, however, that because of the Budget Control Act, the 1.2 trillion dollars that the Super Committee was supposed to achieve in deficit reduction will happen regardless.".The proposal would potentially help those enrolled in Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans, particularly in cases where a drug is not covered by the individual's plan or, as a less-expensive alternative, when the cost of importing a drug is lower than the co-pay for purchasing the medication with Part D plan coverage. Proponents of importation point out that, over the long-term, increased competition from imported drugs could pressure drug companies to reduce their prices in the U.S. and thus help reduce costs for other drugs you may take..Rather than cutting back on one or two drugs, there was a large group that stopped filling most if not all their prescriptions as copays went up..Premium subsidies are based in part on the premiums for a current benchmark plan in the area where you live. More plans are joining the market and there will be new bids for 2015, so the benchmark in many areas will change..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.