Despite the continued standoff on Capitol Hill, Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries should rest assured that their benefits will not be impacted by the ongoing shutdown. Both Social Security and Medicare are "mandatory" programs, which means that benefits will go out in full and as scheduled regardless of the federal government's operating status. In addition, the administrative offices for both programs are fully funded and are currently operating normally, so those applying for benefits should not see any delays in their requests..Because of your concerns in this regard, you will be pleased to learn of H.R. 1030, the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 201This legislation would direct the Department of Labor to prepare and publish a monthly CPI for Elderly Consumers that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption that is typical for individuals 62 years or older. The bill would then amend current law to provide for the use of such new CPI in the computation of COLA increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits..One new cosponsor Rep. Michael Michaud signed on to Rep. Peter DeFazio's Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act this week. The cosponsor total for this bill is now up to 29..While a compromise was not reached, some consider the automatic budget cuts as a silver lining. "The good news, if there is no agreement, the nation is going to end up with what Republicans said, there will be a dollar spending reduction for every dollar increase in the debt ceiling" said Hensarling. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney echoed the same optimism: "It's important to remember, however, that because of the Budget Control Act, the 1.2 trillion dollars that the Super Committee was supposed to achieve in deficit reduction will happen regardless.".Medicare has been subject to automatic 2 percent spending cuts since 2014, enacted as a provision of the Budget Control Act of 201Providers continue to bill Medicare in the normal way, but they are only paid 98 cents on the dollar. According to a FAQ from the House Committee on the Budget, the Medicare spending cut for the government's fiscal year 2021 which starts October 1, 2020, will reduce spending by .2 billion..An insurance industry source said Congress' deliberations are "freaking out" companies who worry that seniors will drop their private plans en masse and migrate to traditional Medicare once the new benefits are in place. But the source said the industry is mindful of the optics of publicly opposing coverage of eyeglasses, dental care and hearing aids, and is largely lobbying behind the scenes..Open Enrollment on the new health exchanges starts November 15 and will run for about one month. But even after a year of technical problems and significant repair efforts, the Government Accountability Office recently warned Congress that the federal exchange may continue to have more enrollment problems. Nevertheless, due to the high cost of insurance and potential tax repercussions, TSCL recommends that you start early and be persistent about finding your best plan..TSCL Endorses New House Bill.The House of Representatives returned from break this week and the Senate will follow suit beginning next week. New co-sponsors have been added to two key bills, and the effort to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program moves one step closer.

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Big Pharma, the lobby of the big drug companies, criticized the order right away and said the move was "a reckless distraction that impedes our ability to respond to the current pandemic and those we could face in the future.".About one quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries are covered by Medigap polices. Out-of-pocket costs under Medicare are considerable, and most beneficiaries supplement their coverage either by purchasing a Medigap policy or joining a Medicare Advantage plan. Unlike Medicare Advantage, however, Medigap enrollees in most states are not able to switch to another Medigap policy during fall open enrollment, because insurers are not required to cover pre-existing conditions outside of the individual's initial enrollment period. Seventy-two percent of survey participants support extending guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions to Medigap, allowing Medigap enrollees greater freedom to switch to other, less costly, Medigap plans..At the hearing the top Republican on the committee, Steve Womack of Arkansas and other Republican lawmakers said that Congress will need to limit the growth of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which they referred to as "major mandatory programs." … Continued

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Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle agree that the current payment formula the sustainable growth rate is fundamentally flawed. TSCL was disappointed when the Affordable Care Act did not address the issue in 2010, but many believe that the lame-duck session following the November election will provide a prime opportunity for Congress to finally repeal the faulty formula. The replacement options are numerous, however, and many of them are contentious. Just three months away, it still remains unclear which solution lawmakers could agree upon..Check with your Medicare health plan, supplement, or other insurance - like coverage through an employer. Often your insurer can tell you why a bill has been denied, and, more importantly, what you need to do to get the bill paid.."Hearing On The Effects Of COVID-19 On Social Security," Testimony of Stephen C. Goss, Chief Actuary, Social Security Administration, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, July 17, 2020. "Biden Has Promised To Reform Social Security - Some Changes Could Come As Soon As This Year," Lorie Konish, CNBC, January 23, 2021. … Continued

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