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Some of the most talked-about plans using a "chained" consumer price index to calculate annual cost-of-living adjustments, cutting the payroll tax, and reducing benefits for people who are currently retired or nearing retirement would devastate many of the most vulnerable seniors..I am 92 years old and live on Social Security. I live with my son and his wife so am not hurting too badly. But the rise in health insurance is taking a good-sized chunk of my only source of income. My doctor refused to take the insurance I had, so I was forced into taking what he would accept. I tried to find a different doctor but was refused because NO one is taking patients my age on Medicare. I am a Notch Victim as was my husband. I would like to see the Notch Victims get the proper amount of Social Security due them..It is far easier for physicians than hospitals to opt out of taking Medicare patients. Most hospitals must accept them since they rely on Medicare payments to fund inpatient stays, doctor training and other functions..In 2006, Johnson first forecast that the hold-harmless provision - which at the time was virtually unknown by the public - would begin to be triggered more often by the year 2012, due to rapid growth in Medicare Part B premiums and weak growth in COLAs. Indeed that provision was first triggered on a nation-wide basis in 2010, and triggered again in 2011, when inflation was too low for a COLA to be payable, and the Medicare Part B premium subsequently soared..By Jessie Gibbons, TSCL Legislative Director.Better Donut Hole Coverage - Higher Taxes Ahead.Unfortunately, for too many members of our communities, that's exactly what is happening, and it's something that I hear about far too often. Millions of seniors across the country, including my own mother, have been the victims of financial scams and they are being cheated out of their rightful retirement..As a result, some doctors are opting out of providing care to Medicare patients..The House Democratic bill would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and then force drug companies to lower the prices they charge private insurers or impose huge fines on the companies. Pelosi said she wants it to be part of a special budget bill that can pass the Senate without Republican support since it is immune from the filibuster.