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"It's about time," states Johnson. At the time of passage of the Affordable Care Act, this tax was widely referred to as a "Medicare" tax in the media, by tax and investment professionals, and, many lawmakers sold it to the public that way. "Now those revenues are needed by the Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund," says Johnson. Part A is three years from insolvency and faces an estimated funding gap of more than 5 billion over the next ten years..Recent healthcare reform legislation gradually reduces what beneficiaries must spend when they reach the Part D doughnut hole or gap in coverage. Medicare consumers who hit the doughnut hole receive a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs and a 7 percent discount on generics in 201While that's good news, don't breathe any sighs of relief just yet. Seniors and the disabled who hit the doughnut hole must still spend ,448 in total drug costs in 2011 before they reach catastrophic coverage period..If you have limited income and savings, there are three Medicare Savings Programs that help pay Medicare costs. If you qualify, your Medicare Part B premium will no longer be deducted from your monthly Social Security check. Over the rest of the year, that could be worth an extra 4.60 per month in your Social Security check, and more than ,300 in higher Social Security income through the end of the year. If you qualify, you will automatically get Extra Help, the Medicare program that helps with Part D prescription drug costs..My pulmonologist ordered a CT scan, but the person scheduling appointments said they first had to check my insurance. Is this correct? I'm covered by Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan. I thought I would be covered for any medically necessary CT scan..New Co-Sponsor for Key Bill.President Trump pledged that he would protect Social Security and Medicare when he ran for president in 201He has repeated that pledge several times since. But to advocate for a payroll tax cut that would bring both programs much closer to insolvency is not in keeping with his pledge.."Federal Cost of Living Adjustment Will Affect SNAP And Other Benefits Received Through DCFS, December 21, 2020..When Your Doctor no longer takes Medicare.That subject is the coronavirus flu. We wrote a little about it last week, but we still have questions and concerns and we think you probably do, also. Let's start by pointing out the following: even the world's top infectious-disease specialists still aren't sure how lethal a threat the coronavirus presents.