Blog Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers Increase Access Decreasing CostsHere's a theoretical one: Let's say the undocumented immigrant parents of four U.S. -born children have lived in the U.S. for twelve years and are found eligible for work authorization and Social Security numbers. Prior to getting her Social Security number, the mother worked as a housekeeper and was paid in cash. No taxes were paid into Social Security or Medicare. Because none were paid, and no wages were reported, the mother does not have any Social Security coverage yet..As a result, the highest-risk patients were not filling their medication after prices jumped. Those most vulnerable to a heart attack and stroke cut back more on statins and anti-hypertensives than lower-risk patients - irrespective of socioeconomic status..An excessively low COLA triggers an important provision of law that ensures an individual's net Social Security benefit will not decrease from one year to the next because of an increase in the Part B premium. That's valuable protection. But when the provision is triggered there's no law which specifies how the unpaid portion of Medicare Part B premium increases will be financed. … Continued
Blog Tax Season Help For Working FamiliesThis week, lawmakers continued working towards an omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year..Learn the full cost and coverage for every drug you take: If you take more than 6 worth of prescription drugs a month, you're at risk of hitting the doughnut hole at some point during the year. The 6 is based on the full retail cost, that is what you and your drug plan pay, not your co-pays. Part D plan enrollees have an initial coverage limit of ,840 in total drug costs in 201You can learn the full cost of your drugs and whether your plan covers all your prescriptions using the drug using the Medicare Drug Plan Finder at..The blueprint also lays out some modifications to the Social Security program. It would close the Disability Insurance trust fund's shortfall by transferring funds from the Old Age and Survivor's Insurance trust fund over a period of five years. TSCL's members and supporters overwhelmingly oppose the transfer of funds from one trust fund to another since it would put the OASI trust fund on worse financial footing. However, we were pleased to see that President Obama did not include the adoption of the "chained" CPI in his budget blueprint as he did two years ago. … Continued