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Inadequate COLAs have long-term consequences for both retiree finances and health. COLAs affect the amount of total lifetime Social Security income, and that in turn affects the rate of withdrawals from retirement accounts and savings, debt levels. Adequate income in retirement also determines whether individuals have the finances to pay for supplemental Medicare health premiums, out-of-pocket costs and prescription drugs..Before making such a major decision, we strongly recommend that you get free, one-on-one counseling from your State Health Insurance Program Medicare Counselor. Your counselor can help you compare plans to ensure that the choice you're considering is right for you. Many local area agencies on aging or senior centers host counseling programs..Under the policy, illegal immigrants younger than the age of 30, who came to the United States before the age of 16, will be allowed to remain in the country without risk of deportation and to get work permits if they have been law abiding and meet certain requirements. Although the policy does not grant legal status, work authorization would provide access to Social Security numbers..This week, lawmakers in the House remained in their home districts to continue the summer recess. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill next Tuesday, September 4th. In the days ahead, many Members of Congress will be attending local events and hosting town hall meetings in their home districts. The Senior Citizens League encourages its supporters to attend these events and to ask important questions of their elected officials, like the following five..Recently we asked for your stories and comments on how rising prescription drug costs impact you. The following story illustrates new administrative efforts by Medicare to "educate" beneficiaries about their options for less expensive prescription meds, by sending out letters listing lower cost medications. The question we need to ask our lawmakers is why is this necessary? Does the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services believe we are impoverishing ourselves by using more expensive drugs if a less expensive alternative was effective, to begin with? Unfortunately, sometimes the older, less expensive drugs don't work as well, and with metastatic cancer drugs, quality of life can be at stake. Our sincere thank you to Janice S. a retiree living in Illinois, for sharing the following..On Wednesday, Congressman John Garamendi introduced the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act at a press conference with several advocates for older Americans, including TSCL. If adopted, his bill would base Social Security COLAs on a more accurate measure of inflation using the CPI-E. Currently, they are based on the way young workers spend their money using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners..All of this adds up to less money for retirement, and greater dependence on Social Security as insurance against retirement savings that are so closely tied to the value of equities and housing. "This situation was caused by COVID-19 and illustrates why Congress needs to strengthen Social Security and Medicare benefits," Johnson says. The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that would boost Social Security benefits for all retirees and supports legislation that would lower Medicare costs..My brand name drug is supposed to go generic this year. Will my drug plan cover the generic and if so will I be notified?.Lawmakers Work Towards Omnibus