Last fall, Republican candidates made a lot of campaign promises: to create more jobs, to roll back federal regulations and to increase energy production. But you didn't see any bumper stickers or yard signs promising to gut Social Security. Yet, the first thing House Republicans did in the new session of Congress was to quietly change a rule that could force cuts in Social Security benefits for millions of Americans by the end of next year. By turning a simple procedural tool into a "doomsday" scenario, House Republicans want to manufacture a crisis in order to justify cuts and to move toward their goal of Social Security privatization, a long-time goal of Wall Street and right - wing think tanks..Although Medicare has an annual Open Enrollment period, when beneficiaries can compare drug plans and switch to lower costing drug plans, few retirees actually do so. "In most areas of the country, the Medicare beneficiaries have more than two dozen Part D plans to sort through, and the average person just don't know where to begin, or that free, unbiased help is available," Johnson says. "Consequently, Medicare beneficiaries winds up overpaying for prescriptions that could be obtained for a lower cost from a different drug plan.".Rural practices and patients deserve a better partner in the federal government when it comes to the health of rural America. History has shown that communities that don't have a reliable healthcare facility struggle to maintain their livelihood..Social Security benefits have lost 34 percent of buying power since 2000, according to the 2018 Social Security Loss of Buying Power Study recently released by The Senior Citizens League. This is the biggest loss of buying power recorded since 2012, and that was the biggest loss that The Senior Citizens League's study has recorded to date.._.The CPI-E Act, if signed into law, would amend the Social Security Act with regard to the annual cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security and Medicare benefits. Currently, the COLA is based upon the spending patterns of young, urban workers, but this legislation would calculate the COLA based on the spending patterns of seniors..Two of the most popular Medigap plans, "F" and "C," will no longer be offered for sale in 2020. "While individuals enrolled in these plans may keep their plans, we are concerned that premiums for these plans could rise significantly without younger and healthier new enrollees to spread the costs in those plans," Johnson says..The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would provide a more fair and adequate COLA so that seniors living on fixed incomes can better afford rising costs like home heating oil. To learn more, visit..Instead of the sweeping legislation supported by the House Democratic leadership they have indicated supported for more modest measures that already have some Republican support. Those include things like capping Medicare enrollees' out-of-pocket drug costs.

Provisional Ballots

In 2019, there are a total of ten different Medigap plans, "A" through "N." Congress closed Plans "F" and "C" because they cover the Medicare Part B deductible. The thinking is that deductibles prevent "over utilization" of Medicare benefits. The Part B deductible is 5.50 this year and it rises at the same pace as the Part B premium. According to research by Johnson, Part B premiums have increased about 10 percent per year since 2000, making it one of the fastest growing costs in retirement. "Requiring retirees to pay deductibles, or higher deductibles, has the biggest financial and health impact on middle-income Medicare beneficiaries with modest means," says Johnson. "Many put off medically necessary care if they can't afford the deductible, and their health can get worse when they do," she says..In the report released on Wednesday, the trustees estimated that Medicare beneficiaries will see a Part B premium increase of nearly per month next year, from 1.80 to However, due to the hold harmless provision, most beneficiaries will continue paying a monthly premium of 4.90. That's because experts are projecting another record-low Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 201The trustees estimated that a 0.2 percent COLA will be paid next year, which would amount to a mere per month benefit increase for someone receiving a ,000 monthly check.."The Social Security Notch: An Economic Analysis," John Haldi, The Senior Citizens League, October 2002. … Continued

Prevent How To Enjoy Winter Activities And Avoid Orthopedic Injuries

In fact, unlike the additional Medicare tax on high earners, this 3.8% net investment tax was not even a specific provision of the Affordable Care Act. It was a provision of a separate bill, the Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010 which was passed about two days after the Affordable Care Act. By setting up the revenues so that they would flow to the General Fund, Congress by-passed earmarking those revenues for Medicare Part A or Part B Trust Fund. That means when the funds are used for other government spending, the Medicare Trust Funds are not earning any interest from the federal government for the use of those funds..Primary care providers mitigate this risk by coordinating among doctors on behalf of the patient..Fifty six percent of older adults think we need to invest more in Medicare in order to respond more quickly and effectively to a healthcare crisis like COVID-19, according to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League. "Boosting funding for Medicare is one of the most important issues for older voters this year," says Mary Johnson, a Medicare, and Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. … Continued

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