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It depends. If you meet the requirements you're OK to delay. It's important to keep in mind that failure to enroll in Medicare on time is one of the most costly mistakes that working Medicare-age seniors make. You can wind up getting hit with late enrollment penalties that you'll have to pay every year for the rest of your life. Those penalties could drain thousands in extra Medicare costs from you and your wife's savings and income..Get multiple meals from one food item: Any meat, like ham or turkey, that's relatively low cost, provides plenty of leftovers, and freezes well, is one to consider for company entertaining. After the first meal, slice the leftovers and wrap in individual servings and store in plastic zipper bags in freezer. Use the remaining bone and small meat scraps for making soups. If you can't make soup right away, bones and scraps can be frozen until you need them..If a therapist or home health agency says that Medicare does not cover a service any longer, that's a red flag because Medicare hasn't changed benefits, or the qualifications to receive benefits, but only the payment structure. To be eligible for Medicare home health benefits you must meet all of the following conditions:.Grassroots lobbying is perhaps the most effective way to let YOUR Representative and Senators know your opinion. Whether you are calling into a local or Washington, D.C. office; sending a letter or e-mail; signing a petition, or making a personal visit, Members of Congress are the most receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents..The opinions expressed in "Congressional Corner" reflect the views of the writer and are not necessarily those of TSCL..Congressman Garamendi Introduces CPI-E Act.We need to work together to reduce the deficit in a balanced way, not on the backs of seniors and middle class families who have worked hard, contributed their fair share and played by the rules all their lives. I ran for Congress to fight for Illinois seniors and I'll continue to do my part to protect and preserve Medicare, so it will be strong for the working families I represent for the next forty-eight years and beyond..The Senior Citizens League agrees that these faults in the program are unacceptable and unsustainable. With over ten thousand Baby Boomers becoming eligible for Social Security benefits every day, Congress must act to ensure that SSA is fully funded and equipped with the leadership that is needed to serve our older and disabled Americans. As Ranking Member John Larson said at Wednesday's hearing, "What is Social Security if not the full faith and credit of the United States government?".Another critical step toward lowering costs is giving Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices. In December 2019, I helped pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act with the support of both Democrats and Republicans. This commonsense bill would give Medicare Part D the power to negotiate directly with drug companies. Currently, Medicare is prohibited by law from negotiating for lower prices.