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He had demanded a payroll tax cut previously this year. Thankfully, Congress did not go along with him when it passed the previous legislation meant to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and the ailing economy that resulted..How can we strengthen Social Security's financing structure? Take TSCL's 2020 Senior Survey and let us know what you think about some of the leading proposals and thank you for your participation..Work Continues on Spending Bill."To lower the expected cost of these new benefits, House Democrats have proposed introducing the new dental benefits starting in 2028, ramping up the coverage over five years.".On Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee held a hearing on the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, two provisions that arbitrarily reduce the earned Social Security benefits of millions of public employees. They were enacted in 1983 in an attempt to bring fairness to the system for those who receive government pensions and earn Social Security benefits, but they have not worked as intended..Earlier this fall, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projected that home-heating fuels would cost about 20 percent more during the upcoming heating season, but the most recent Consumer Price Index data from October 2017 through October 2018, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicates that heating-fuel costs appear to be climbing even faster and are now 26.2 percent higher than October 2017..Fix the flooring. What's underneath the worn-out carpeting? Homes that were built in the 60's often had hardwood floors that were covered by carpeting. But today, hardwood floors are hot with homebuyers who may otherwise run the other way at the sight of dirty out-dated carpet. Get rid of the old carpeting and refinish the hardwood floors. You may need to replace carpeting if plywood subflooring was used instead of hardwood. Unless the flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms is in mint condition, replacing it also tends to pays off..Since the Social Security Administration announced the 2013 benefit boost last fall, fuel, food and healthcare costs have steadily climbed. U.S. households that heat with oil are expected to pay nearly 20 percent more this winter compared to last year. Homes that rely on oil heat will pay an average of 7 more this winter according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration..So far critics of the program have not convinced CMS to pare down the size of the demonstrations and states winning approval will get the green light to start shifting patients into managed care plans starting next year.