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According to a recent nation-wide survey conducted by The Senior Citizens League, almost one-third of older taxpayers, 30 percent, say they itemize deductions for healthcare costs, and about 56 percent say that a portion of their Social Security benefits are taxable. "Taxpayers who may be postponing needed medical or dental services, getting glasses, or filling expensive prescriptions may want to consider doing so before the end of the year, in order to maximum the medical expense deduction in 2018," Johnson says..Improving the disability program's integrity by prohibiting the use of medical evidence from health providers who have been convicted of a felony, when deciding whether an applicant qualifies for benefits. This would make it more difficult for criminals to game the system..COLAs Go Over The Fiscal Cliff.While you may be familiar with the problem of our government using a price index that reflects the inflation experience of younger workers rather than retired people over the age of 62, you quite likely have not heard very much about the specifics of how our government calculates price indexes. What the average person thinks of as a straight - forward mathematical calculation, the federal government can approach in convoluted ways..This week, Senator John McCain introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, which would allow individuals to import prescription drugs from approved pharmacies in Canada. Upon introducing the bill, Senator McCain stated: "This legislation would allow individuals to safely import prescription drugs into the United States from our neighbors to the north, spur much-needed competition in the pharmaceutical market, and save individual Americans up to hundreds of dollars a year." TSCL supports S. 122 enthusiastically, and we look forward to helping build support for it this year..TSCL recommends that anyone unsure of how the provision may affect you should talk with the human resources director of your former employer or union through which you receive benefits. To learn more about TSCL's legislative work read the weekly legislative updates; or to learn more about TSCL's key issues, please visit..In the coming weeks, budget discussions will continue on Capitol Hill as committees in the House and Senate form proposals of their own. TSCL is hopeful that leaders in both chambers will consider measures that would improve the pharmaceutical industry and ensure access to more affordable prescription drugs for Part D enrollees. We will monitor the budget debate closely in the weeks ahead, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website..Some agree with the President's stimulative plans, however, many on Capitol Hill have aggressively opposed the extension. House Budget Chair Paul Ryan has been particularly outspoken about the tax holiday, referring to it as "sugar-high economics," and preferring instead a plan that includes comprehensive tax overhaul.."Sudden Price Spikes in Decades-Old Prescription Drugs," Testimony of Berna Heyman to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, April 27, 201"High-Price Drugs Are Increasing Federal Payments For Medicare Part D Catastrophic Coverage," Daniel Levinson, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, January 2017.

Sleeplessness Puts Women At Risk For Diabetes
On Tuesday, after five days of debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the "Gang of Eight's" comprehensive immigration reform bill by a vote of thirteen to five. If signed into law, the bill would provide more than 11 million immigrants with a path to citizenship. A number of amendments were adopted by the Senate Committee members, but TSCL was disappointed that they failed to approve an amendment that would have prevented immigrants from earning Social Security credits based on work completed while in the country illegally. Sen. Orrin Hatch sponsored the amendment, and while he ultimately voted in favor of advancing the bill, he did state that it "needs more improvement" before he would consider supporting it on the Senate floor..Tax Reform Work Continues in House and Senate.Preventing benefit cuts. Older Americans understand the compounding effect that even the smallest benefit cut can have over the course of several years. DI beneficiaries living on fixed incomes simply cannot afford a reduction in benefits. … Continued

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Thanks to all of you who so willingly spent your time and shared your opinions. Surveys can influence votes! TSCL recently released the results of the 2013 survey to the media, and is sharing the findings of this key annual Senior Survey in meetings with Members of Congress. To participate in TSCL polls and surveys, visit..Here's a theoretical one: Let's say the undocumented immigrant parents of four U.S. -born children have lived in the U.S. for twelve years and are found eligible for work authorization and Social Security numbers. Prior to getting her Social Security number, the mother worked as a housekeeper and was paid in cash. No taxes were paid into Social Security or Medicare. Because none were paid, and no wages were reported, the mother does not have any Social Security coverage yet..As anyone who was following the news last week knows, Congress failed to reach an agreement on a new coronavirus economic relief bill, so they went home. They have left it up to the leadership in both houses to try and come up with legislation that can pass both bodies, but no one sounds optimistic that will happen before they return in September. … Continued