TSCL has been pushing members of Congress to include legislation to reduce the price of drugs and pass legislation to deal with the practice of surprise medical billing. We were hoping those issues would be addressed at the same time as the legislation to extend the federal health programs mentioned above..Providing relief for more than 11 million middle-class beneficiaries who pay income taxes on their Social Security benefits each year..While benefits scheduled in the law for OASI [Old Age and Survivors Insurance] and DI [Disability Insurance] are obligations, such obligations can only be met to the extent that asset reserves are available in the OASI and DI Trust Funds. The law does not provide authority for the trust funds to borrow in order to pay benefits beyond the limited authority for "advance tax transfers.".Although there's a new higher standard deduction for U.S. taxpayers this year, tax professionals are cautioning taxpayers against automatically taking it. The 2017 tax legislation retains the deduction for medical expenses. This year, taxpayers can deduct medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of their Adjusted Gross Income, but that threshold will rise to 10% of the AGI in 2019, so taxpayers won't be able to deduct as much. It would be a good idea to crunch the numbers now, to learn if itemizing and the medical expense deduction would reduce your taxes..Coronavirus vaccine by this winter? Maybe, but do not get your hopes up too far..This week, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees released their annual reports on the financial standing of the two programs. In addition, the Supreme Court announced its decision on the immigration orders President Obama released back in 2014..Congress Adjourns for Spring Break.This week, Members of the Senate voted to confirm Sylvia Mathews Burwell as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw two key bills gain support..The "Congressional Corner" reflects the views of the writer and are not necessarily those of The Senior Citizens League.

Healthcare News

This week, lawmakers remained in their home states and districts to continue the fall recess. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill following the November elections to begin the lame duck session. Until then, most lawmakers will be attending local events and holding town hall meetings in their home states and districts..Yes. Social Security provides a variety of benefits to people who have not paid into the system. If one meets certain eligibility criteria, one can be eligible for benefits based on another person's account. Here are some examples:.New Bill Would Expand Medicare Coverage … Continued

Prevent Vaccines Arent Just Kid Stuff

On Tuesday, the Senate Special Aging Committee held a hearing titled "Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer's: Reducing Risk, Detecting Early Symptoms, and Improving Data." Those on the Aging Committee heard from experts as well as individuals who have personal experience with the disease, including award-winning actor Marcia Gay Harden..Use distributions from Roth accounts to minimize taxation of Social Security benefits. Unlike distributions from traditional IRAs and 401s, qualified distributions from Roth IRAs - those taken when you are over 59½ and the contributions were made more than five years ago - will not subject your Social Security benefits to taxation. To minimize taxation of your Social Security benefits, consider taking distribution from your Roth IRA, and let your Traditional IRA or 401 grow until you reach age 70 and a half. Once you reach that age, distributions of Traditional IRAs and 401s must start by April 1 of the year following..Even President Trump said this about his own party: "Every Republican wants to do a big number on Social Security," he said in one appearance. "They want to do it on Medicare, they want to do it on Medicaid. … Continued

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