Give it a fresh coat of paint. Paint not only looks good, it can help cover other problems - like water damage, smoke stains, and scuffs that have accumulated over the years. It's especially important to make repairs of holes in the wall, deal with mold in bathrooms, basements and closets, and to get rid of wallpaper. Use light-colored neutral tones that blend well with everything. It's also important to paint or power wash the exterior of your home. If you worry about your painting skills, or the amount of time you have to do the job, hire a professional - a bad job can do more harm than good..Because Medicare Advantage plans receive a capped monthly reimbursement for each beneficiary, TSCL is concerned that there is a potential financial incentive for Medicare Advantage plans to inappropriately deny some services or prescriptions in an attempt to increase their profits. Denial of medically necessary care and prescriptions can worsen your health, as well as leading to high out-of-pocket costs, financial burdens, and debt..Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced S. 62 on January 9, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance.."The switch looks deceptively small on paper," says TSCL's Executive Director Shannon Benton. "But it would have a big impact on Social Security income," she says..Congress Still Working to Avoid Government Shutdown.Such a minimum guarantee would go a long way to protect beneficiaries in years when there is no COLA. Had such a 3% minimum COLA guarantee been in effect since 2009, the average benefit of ,075 in 2009 would be 5 per month/ ,580 year higher today - about 18%. A minimum COLA would also eliminate the problem of benefits remaining flat for years, at a time during periods when Medicare Part B premiums increase more than the COLA raises benefits..Some have hailed this provision as the closing of a "loophole," while others have said the provision will cause companies to cut jobs, and cut prescription drug coverage for retirees. Because companies would no longer be able to deduct the subsidy, it would increase the taxes they expect to pay under current law. The Senior Citizens League is monitoring this provision's potential effects on retirees. TSCL is concerned that some employers may cancel the often-generous prescription drug coverage that they provide to their retirees as a result of the expected increased costs of providing that benefit. If any retirees lose their current prescription drug coverage, they could then go through Medicare Part D to get their prescription drug coverage..Conferees Hit Budget Impasse.This week, one new cosponsor Rep. Matt Cartwright signed on to Rep. Peter DeFazio's No Loopholes in Social Security Taxes Act. The cosponsor total is now up to twenty-seven. If signed into law, Rep. DeFazio's bill would subject all income over 0,000 to the Social Security payroll tax. Currently, the payroll tax is capped at 3,700 and no income over that amount is taxed. H.R. 1029 would reportedly add another fifty years to the solvency of the Trust Fund in a responsible way, without reducing benefits for seniors.
