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Medicare costs often consume up to half of your Social Security benefit. In a recent TSCL survey, 48% of respondents said they spent 11% to 33% of their Social Security benefits on healthcare in 201Another 25% said they spent from 34% to 50% of their Social Security on healthcare..Under current law, the Medicare program excludes coverage of most routine and emergency dental care, leaving around 70 percent of seniors without comprehensive dental insurance coverage. Will you support the Medicare Dental Benefit Act to ensure that seniors have access to essential health care?.By U.S. Senator Tim Kaine."Depending on how long it takes one's retirement savings to recover, the 2020 coronavirus recession could have a deep and life changing impact on the retirement security of older Americans," says Johnson whose own retirement savings were negatively impacted by the Great Recession of 2007- 0"Those who have lost significant sums might plan to work longer and retire later if they can," says Johnson. "Those who were working and have lost a job and their employer - provided healthcare coverage may wind up working for lower earnings, and could potentially experience worse health," she notes..Refinancing a mortgage in retirement is a "special needs" situation. TSCL highly recommends that this should be discussed with an unbiased financial advisor..Flu Vaccine Reduces Risk of Flu Illness and Serious Outcomes.According to another report in the Washington Post, HHS Secretary Alex Azar and "Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, are distancing themselves from the idea, each emphasizing that they were not consulted by the White House before the president's announcement, said three officials familiar with their thinking.".TSCL is working hard for legislation that would lift the taxable maximum cap, expand Social Security by boosting retirement benefits and provide greater retirement security by using a "seniors" consumer price index, the CPI-E, to determine the annual COLA. To learn more, visit..If you find yourself in the situation where it's getting difficult to afford your prescriptions, Medicare has a program known as "Extra Help," that pays for some or even most of your out-of-pocket drug costs. You qualify if your monthly income is less than ,538 for individuals or ,078 for couples, and your assets are lower than the specified amount :

Hospice Care

The proposal to adopt the chained CPI for adjusting Social Security and other federal retirement benefits has been a central feature of nearly every major budget negotiation since 20The adoption of the chained CPI to calculate COLAs would not only permanently reduce Social Security benefits of more than 60 million beneficiaries, but would also increase taxes, because personal exemptions and tax brackets which are adjusted for inflation would rise more slowly..Some have hailed this provision as the closing of a "loophole," while others have said the provision will cause companies to cut jobs, and cut prescription drug coverage for retirees. Because companies would no longer be able to deduct the subsidy, it would increase the taxes they expect to pay under current law. The Senior Citizens League is monitoring this provision's potential effects on retirees. TSCL is concerned that some employers may cancel the often-generous prescription drug coverage that they provide to their retirees as a result of the expected increased costs of providing that benefit. If any retirees lose their current prescription drug coverage, they could then go through Medicare Part D to get their prescription drug coverage..However, TSCL is opposed to two provisions that lawmakers included in the package to offset its 0 billion cost. One of those provisions will increase monthly premiums for beneficiaries with higher incomes, and the other will create a new 0 deductible for those enrolled in supplemental Medigap plans. Both of them will require seniors to pay more out-of-pocket for their healthcare. … Continued

Redistricting Building In Bipartisanship Webinar

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. It was emotional for a lot of people who were there. I cried when I got both of my shots - not because it hurt, but from the overwhelming sense of relief, joy and gratitude. "Mo," the chief of our local Emergency Medical Services who gave me my second dose, teared up too. He said he was relieved for the opportunity to save lives "this way" rather than making so many grim ambulance calls..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..This week, lawmakers in the House and Senate continued their work on an omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year. Lawmakers set a .07 trillion cap in the sweeping budget deal that they passed at the end of October, and now they have until December 11th just three weeks to outline how those funds will be spent. … Continued