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"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..When the Social Security Administration receives wage reports from employers with Social Security numbers and names that don't match those on file, the reports go into an Earnings Suspense File until they can be reconciled with the rightful owner. That can occur years later when an application for benefits is received. Over the past ten years for which data is available the Social Security Administration has received on average, more than 9.5 million suspicious wage reports annually representing more than billion per year in wages. It's wages, not the amount of taxes paid that are used to determine benefits..My frail mother was in the hospital after passing out and falling. She stayed "in observation" for four days and received a number of tests for stroke, heart and circulatory problems. After discharge, her doctor said she needed nursing home care. The nursing home warned us that if mother's hospital stay was observation Medicare would not cover the nursing home stay. She has received several large bills for the hospital care. We can't afford to pay for this care out-of-pocket. Can you suggest anything?.Conferees Hit Budget Impasse.So it could be significant this week that a Republican member of the Federal Trade Commission, Christine Wilson, stated that she believes Medicare should have more power to negotiate drug prices. She acknowledged that her position would be controversial among her fellow Republicans because they argue that allowing Medicare to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies would essentially allow Medicare to set drug prices and stifle development of innovative new drugs. As the year progresses, we shall see if her views make any difference..While Mr. Shkreli has become the poster boy for this price gouging, he is certainly not alone. These tactics are prominent throughout the entire industry. Drug company executives are buying life-saving drugs and increasing the prices astronomically to line their own pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation..Our annual Senior Surveys indicate overwhelming public support for the major provisions of The Social Security 2100 Act. And based on your comments and email, that's pretty much the case, no matter which political party you happen to vote for. It's vital for all of us to make sure your Member of Congress knows how you think Social Security and Medicare should be "rescued." Please take our 2020 Senior Survey..Medicaid, the state and federal program that provides healthcare for low-income Americans, is undergoing a massive expansion with the start of the Affordable Care Act. The fairness of that expansion for seniors is drawing closer scrutiny from TSCL..This, of course, keeps the costs of those drugs much higher than if a generic version were available.