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President Obama Releases Budget Blueprint.The Democratic Platform Committee approved a plan that would expand the Social Security program "so that every American can retire with dignity and respect." Their document states, "We will fight every effort to cut, privatize, or weaken Social Security, including attempts to raise the retirement age, diminish benefits by cutting cost-of-living adjustments, or reducing earned benefits.".Social Security benefits have lost 33 percent of buying power since 2000, according to the latest Social Security Loss of Buying Power Study released today by The Senior Citizens League. "One would think that a higher cost-of-living adjustment in 2019, combined with relatively low inflation, would lead to an improvement of buying power in Social Security benefits," says study author Mary Johnson, a Social Security policy analyst for the League. "But any improvement was offset by spiking costs of essentials, including out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs," Johnson says..Monday Holidays.This week, TSCL announced its support for the Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act, which was introduced by Congressman Alan Grayson as a companion bill to Senator Elizabeth Warren's S. 2251..This week, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act gained three new cosponsors in Representatives Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, and Earl Blumenauer, bringing the total up to thirteen. If signed into law, H.R. 2575 would simplify the Medicare enrollment process and increase efforts to educate those nearing eligibility about the program and the application process..The groups that have begun lobbying the administration include large hospital systems and health insurers, major trade associations, air ambulance companies and private equity-backed physician staffing firms..the premium may become unaffordable..Recently a friend of mine in her late 70's wondered, "How would I know it's time for assisted living if I live alone?" She has no close family of her own for caregiving. What do you recommend for people like this?

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Burwell will begin her work as HHS Secretary in the coming days, and TSCL will keep a close eye on her work since it could have major impacts on the Social Security and Medicare programs. TSCL is pleased that Burwell has already committed to working with Congress to repeal and replace the flawed sustainable growth rate formula later this year. However, she has also expressed her support for increased means testing within the Medicare program a proposal that TSCL is opposed to due to potential unintended consequences. For updates on HHS actions affecting senior citizens, visit the Legislative News section of our website..Natural disasters can affect the consumer price index by showing up as higher costs, particularly when gasoline supplies are disrupted, and large numbers of people are forced to evacuate needing shelter and food away from home. But Joe thinks that our government economists may be cooking the books in their methods of measuring price increases..TSCL believes this would make no sense. It would rewards people for breaking our workplace laws at the same time Congress is considering major changes that would reduce benefits of those who paid into the system legally. TSCL supports legislation that would ban earnings made while in the U.S. illegally, from being counted toward entitlement to Social Security, including H.R. 787 the "No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act," introduced by Representative Dana Rohrabacher, and S. 95 introduced by Senator David Vitter. … Continued

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Your answers to these surveys will help TSCL educate Members of Congress, the media and the public about the views, experiences, and challenges facing seniors as they relate to Medicare and Social Security..Premium subsidies are based in part on the premiums for a current benchmark plan in the area where you live. More plans are joining the market and there will be new bids for 2015, so the benchmark in many areas will change..The federal government negotiates prescription drug prices for Medicaid enrollees and for veterans, but it is not allowed to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. Do you support this policy? … Continued