These three-decade-old policies have been proven to be harmful and unhelpful, which is why I introduced H.R. 141, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2019, which will eliminate these counterproductive policies. Nationwide, nearly 1.5 million people are affected by the WEP, meaning those who receive a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security see those benefits reduced. For example, a teacher who spends his or her summers working a second job, or a first responder who leaves the force after years of service, but is not ready to retire, can see their benefits reduced by as much as 40 percent..During that period COLAs have averaged just 1.4%. In 2010, 2011, and 2016 there was no COLA payable at all and, in 2017, the COLA was just 0.03 percent. "But COLAs have never remained so low, for such an extended period of time, in the history of Social Security," says Johnson, who has studied the COLA for more than 25 years. Over the 20 - year period covering 1990 to 2009, COLAs routinely averaged 3 percent annually, and were even higher before that period..It will be important to continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing, wash our hands frequently, and continue the other precautions we've been taking in order to protect those for whom the vaccine might not work. As time goes on and more people are vaccinated and more who've gotten the virus get better, the rates of infection will start to drop. It's at that point we can begin to go back to normal..One thing we know for certain about the greatest generation, it is that they don't scare easily. Not economic depression, Nazi Germany, Japan, or world war could frighten my father's generation. It is with that same resolve and faith in the rightness of your cause that seniors should not give in to the fear-mongering coming out of Washington D.C..A new study has found that it is more than prices that are high when it comes to so many prescription drugs. According to Modern Healthcare newsletter, "A .40 increase in out-of-pocket costs per prescription was associated with a 22.6% drop in consumption and a 32.7% increase in monthly mortality rates, an analysis of more than 358,000 relatively healthy 65-year-old Medicare beneficiaries found.".TSCL will be letting Congressional leaders know of our opposition to a payroll tax cut and we will continue to advocate both in opposition to any payroll tax cut, and also for a fairer and more accurate way of calculating what the COLA should be each year..This week, seven new cosponsors signed on to the Social Security 2100 Act, bringing the total up to eighty-four. The new cosponsors are: Reps. Luis Gutierrez, Marc Veasey, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chellie Pingree, Joyce Beatty, and Peter DeFazio..Notch Bulletin: Why were we singled out? I turn 84 this year and am having problems making ends meet. Still, I'm very interested in NOTCH reform. Why were we singled out for less Social Security ?.In 2017 the COLA was just 0.3%, but the Medicare Part B premium rose to 4.00 for people like new enrollees and others who haven't started Social Security yet and pay for their Medicare by check. Once again, the Part B premium of Barbara and the vast majority of Social Security recipients was protected from reductions. Barbara's monthly Medicare premium was adjusted to 108.00, taking every penny of her tiny COLA boost.
