To help protect the buying power of benefits, TSCL supports legislation that would base COLAs on the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly..Social Security provides at least half the income for 65 percent of seniors..In a recent Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill questioned medical and pharmaceutical industry leaders about the financial relationship between physicians and drug companies. Pharmaceutical companies currently spend billions of dollars annually 90 percent of their marketing program on gifts, lunches, drug samples, and sponsorships of education programs for doctors without any form of public disclosure, leading many to question whether economic incentives provided by the industry cloud physicians' judgment and put profits ahead of patients..The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced plans to test new ways to rein in costs of some of the nation's most expensive drugs, like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis treatments, that are administered in doctors' offices and outpatient centers. The current Medicare Part B payment system, officials argue, provides incentives for prescribing the most expensive medication, rather than on how well it would work for the patient..Verma has an extensive background working with the Medicaid program, but she lacks experience working on complicated Medicare issues. Should Republicans in Congress successfully repeal the ACA as planned, she will oversee the transition period, as well as the implementation of a possible replacement plan. Verma will also be tasked with administering the Medicare program as it navigates a funding crisis caused by the ACA's expected repeal..This issue gets considerable attention from Members of Congress and the media. These findings are a huge red flag that the standard of living of older Americans is eroding, and this is true not only for lower income households, but for all retirees, because healthcare costs are growing much more rapidly than COLAs. To provide greater retirement security, Social Security benefits need to be boosted, and Medicare cost increases need to be slowed in a way that saves billions without cutting benefits. The Senior Citizens League is supporting the Emergency Social Security COLA for 2021 Act, which would replace the 1.3 percent COLA with a more adequate 3 percent COLA in 202How were you affected by healthcare costs in 2020? Please take our TSCL's 2021 Senior Survey..To try to kill the novel coronavirus, some Americans are unsafely using disinfectants and cleaners, including washing food with bleach, using the products on bare skin, and inhaling and ingesting them, federal health officials reported Friday..This week, the House Budget Committee advanced a budget resolution that would reform the Medicare program, and the Senate Aging Committee met to discuss the trajectory of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, three key bills gained support in Congress..When you simply claim benefits at age 66, Social Security will "deem" you eligible for both your own retirement benefit, and an ex spouse benefit. You receive your own benefit first, and the balance that you are eligible for as a divorced spouse would make up the difference. But by claiming at 66 you loose the advantage of delayed retirement credits that can boost your benefit by 8% per year from full retirement age to age 70.

Health Reform Poll Finding Kff Health Tracking Poll March 2019 View Footnotes

A new bill was introduced in the Senate this week that would lower costs for Americans with diabetes and other chronic diseases who have high-deductible health plans. This legislation would not affect seniors who are covered by Medicare, but it could be very helpful for seniors who are under 65 and still working and who only have high-deductible health insurance. Authored by Sens. John Thune and Tom Carper, the bill, called the Chronic Disease Management Act, would lower health care costs by allowing high-deductible health plans to provide chronic disease prevention services - including insulin for diabetes - to plan enrollees before they reach their plan deductible..Although the Social Security trust fund is often reported as being solvent until 2033, there are two separate trust funds, each with separate insolvency dates. The trust fund for the disability insurance program is in the biggest financial trouble and is estimated to become completely exhausted in 2016 or by 2017[1]. "With 2016 being a major presidential election year, either the next Congress will need to enact program changes next year, or risk running out the clock and triggering across the board benefit cuts," Cates points out..So far critics of the program have not convinced CMS to pare down the size of the demonstrations and states winning approval will get the green light to start shifting patients into managed care plans starting next year. … Continued

State Category Health Costs Budgets Prescription Drugs

When people file a claim for benefits, Social Security determines both entitlement to, and the amount of, benefits based on earnings history, NOT the amount of taxes paid in. Under current law, all earnings for which there is evidence are used to determine an individual's benefits, even if the earnings were for jobs worked under invalid and fraudulent Social Security numbers. Thus executive action on immigration could open Social Security and Medicare to significant long-term costs based on work performed while illegal..President Obama and House leadership are discussing support of a more "limited approach" to immigration reform. Under discussion is a plan to grant illegal immigrants limited legal status by providing the right to work in the U.S., but not citizenship..But not all beneficiaries are protected by the hold harmless provision. The provision covers about three-quarters of beneficiaries who would not see any change in their basic Part B premiums in 2010, according to the Actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But one quarter of beneficiaries would face reductions to their monthly Social Security checks as money is deducted to cover the increased Part B premium costs. And although the "hold harmless" provision provides protection from the rising Part B premiums, that provision of law does not apply at all to Part D drug coverage or Part C Medicare Advantage plan premiums. If a person's Part D or Medicare Advantage plan premium goes up, he or she would have less Social Security to live on in 20An emergency COLA, however would offset those costs and prevent those reductions. … Continued

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