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In a letter to Marilyn Tavenner, the Acting Administrator of CMS, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission warned that some of the health plans don't have the experience to manage the full range of benefits required by dual eligibles or the capacity to serve large numbers that would be automatically transferred into the plans en masse at the beginning of the program.."The spending follows a long tradition of generous political giving. Major manufacturers typically make hundreds of modest donations to incumbent members of Congress but avoid donating to presidential candidates, seeing little utility in placing presidential bets..The COLA isn't living up to the promise of protecting the buying power of your benefits, and retirees are getting short changed. We need to work together to enact legislation that will provide a more fair and adequate COLA. To learn how you can get involved visit:..however, my client was able to save ,080 in uncovered out-of-pocket drug costs."Should Social Security's Cost-of Living Adjustment Be Changed?" National Academy of Social Insurance, April 2011..As with the start of any new Congress, TSCL is encouraging Senators and Representatives to reintroduce and cosponsor key legislation, like the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act, the Notch Fairness Act, the No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act, and the Social Security Fairness Act. TSCL's legislative agenda for the next two years includes the following issues, among others:.Look into mail-order pharmacies. When ordering by mail you can often save money because you order in quantity - a 90-day versus a 30-day supply. Many mail order pharmacies charge lower co-pays for a 90-day supply than what you pay for a 60-day. Check with your drug plan to find out if mail order is available..The first day of each month - when big payments go out for Medicare reimbursements, military salaries, veterans' benefits, pensions for military and civilian federal employees and more - is particularly bad. The third day of each month and Wednesdays, when Social Security benefits go out, aren't great either. Interest payments to Treasury's creditors go out on the 15th and at the end of each month of beginning of the next..For a big eye-opener on how illegal immigrants can become entitled to Social Security under current law and for information on Social Security's totalization agreement with Mexico, read Social Security Benefits For Noncitizens, from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, Publication No. RL32004.