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Following the reception, the Board of Trustees and TSCL's legislative team spent the afternoon meeting with six Members of Congress and their top aides. Support was expressed for a number of key bills, including the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act, the Notch Fairness Act, and the Social Security Fairness Act, among others..TSCL questions whether the more widespread use of subjective criteria in disability determinations may be contributing to disability fraud. Recently, 134 people, including retired New York City police officers and firefighters, were charged in one of the largest disability frauds on record. Those indicted were charged with faking mental disabilities, like post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from responding to the 911 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability benefits..2020 Presidential Candidates' Views on Social Security.Under current law, noncitizens who gain temporary work authorization can qualify for long-term Social Security benefits based on work under invalid Social Security numbers that was done prior to gaining that authorization. If elected, would you support legislation to modify this policy?.TSCL's annual Senior Survey asks how much you spend per month on all healthcare costs. Participants are asked to include not only premiums for Medicare Part B, and Part D as well as out of pocket costs for each, but also premiums for Medigap or Medicare Advantage plans, as well as all out-of-pocket spending on doctor visits and services, as well as dental and optical exams, glasses and hearing aids..As things are scheduled for now, the Senate will return to the Capitol on Sept. In the meantime, it will be in a "pro-forma session." That happens in the Senate at a time during which no legislative business is conducted. The sessions are held to satisfy a provision of the Constitution that prohibits either chamber from adjourning for more than three days without the permission of the other chamber. When the House or Senate recesses or adjourns for more than three days, both chambers adopt concurrent resolutions providing for the recess or adjournment..If you buy your diabetic testing supplies through mail order, you MUST get your supplies through contract suppliers in Medicare's new National Mail Order Program in order for Medicare to pay. This applies to beneficiaries living in all parts of the United States. Medicare defines mail order as all home deliveries..If Congress fails to prevent a default on the federal debt, older Americans will be impacted in two major ways. First, Social Security benefits would be delayed, and millions of seniors living on fixed incomes would suffer financially. Second, health plans that cover Medicare beneficiaries and providers who treat Medicare patients would likely see postponements in their reimbursements from the federal government. Access to quality medical care could become more difficult for older Americans if that occurs..A COLA as low as 1.2% increases the risk that Medicare Part B premiums for 2020 would take the entire amount of any COLA increase for many beneficiaries. This would be especially true for any Part B increase around .00 per month.