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Yes: 13%.The problem is well known, but so far Congress has taken no action to address it. The Medicare Trustees have for years described in their annual report how rising Medicare costs will take an ever-growing portion of Social Security benefits. They estimate that Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, as well as cost sharing for both programs, currently equals just 24 percent of the level of the average Social Security benefit. But that estimate does not include many of the typical Medicare costs that most retirees actually have, and thus understates the scope of the problem. The findings based on your participation in TSCL's annual Senior Survey is proof of that..In 2014, your ,200 in earnings was slightly higher than the amount you are allowed to earn without reduction, which was ,480. Under the Social Security earnings test, if you are under your full retirement age the Social Security Administration will withhold in benefits for every in earnings in excess of the annual exempt amount. In your case ,200 is ,720 more than ,480 - the exempt amount. That means Social Security should only withhold ,360, not ,000..American consumers have waited too long for Congress to finally make bipartisan progress on lowering prescription drug costs. At a time of rampant hyper-partisanship on Capitol Hill, I've seen glimmers of hope for how lawmakers from across the political spectrum can unite on this issue. We can't stop pushing for lower prices, because our nation's seniors deserve that level of respect, commitment, and urgency..Another concern about congressional inaction on the debt ceiling is the potential for cuts to programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In recent debates, Social Security benefits have been used as a bargaining chip and have been held hostage to the debt limit increase. Some retirees have felt the sting of unexpected benefit cuts. In 2015, following the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act, millions of seniors, already eligible for Social Security benefits, learned that an important claiming method called "file and suspend" a particularly important protection for women who tend to have lower benefits than men would no longer be an option to them..These settlements are only a good deal for the drug manufacturers involved brand name and generic. They are a flat-out bad deal for patients. Pay-for-delay deals make necessary prescriptions unaffordable for many seniors and their families..Nearly two-thirds of the spending on prescription drugs by older Americans is for out-of-pocket costs that include deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance. Since the start of Medicare Part D in 2006, out-of-pocket costs grew 188% or roughly 16% per year by the end of 2017, far exceeding the growth in Social Security benefits, that averaged just 1.9% per year over the same period..While about 70% of Medicare beneficiaries will see no Medicare Part B increase in premiums this year, the legislation reduced monthly Part B premiums for the 30% of beneficiaries who faced the jump of 52%. That group, who are not protected by the Social Security "hold harmless" provision, will pay a base premium of 1.80 per month instead of an estimated 9 this year. Higher income beneficiaries who are not protected by hold harmless pay an additional surcharge on the base premium amount. The legislation also reduced an increase in the Part B deductible from a projected 3 to 6..Reps. Linda Sanchez and Rush Holt introduced H.R. 3118 on September 17, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and to the Committee on Education and the Workforce.