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While you can count medical bills for you, your spouse and dependents listed on your tax return, you may also be able to count some medical expenses that you paid for a family member who's not considered a dependent for tax purposes. This is the sort of question you should discuss with a tax professional..This includes, among other things, legislation to strengthen the long-term viability of both Social Security and Medicare; lowering the costs of prescription drugs; enacting a fair COLA that takes into account the actual cost of living increases seniors face; Social Security Notch Reform; stopping any cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, or to the COLA that may be proposed; enacting legislation to provide for dental, vision and hearing coverage for seniors.."Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health care professionals will reportedly spend less time filling out paperwork and more time focusing on delivering the best care for patients," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius..They wrote: "We have worked together on bipartisan legislation that would address skyrocketing prescription drug prices … While we pursue these legislative efforts in Congress, we strongly encourage you to take executive or administrative action to reduce the ever-increasing financial burden of prescription drugs for millions of Americans.".In fact, the fastest growing cost for seniors Medicare Part B premiums is not accounted for at all in the CPI-W since young workers are not enrolled in the Medicare program. Since 2000, Medicare Part B premiums have increased by 195 percent and prescription drug spending has increased by 184 percent. However, COLAs have increased Social Security benefits by just 43 percent since 2000..Despite the fact that so much urgently needs to be done, it is disturbing that the Senate plans to be out for at least 13 of the 34 weeks between now and the election..Medicare Part B premiums jumped .10 per month in 2020 - one of the biggest increases in recent years. While the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment increased benefits by 1.6 percent in 2020, Medicare Part B premiums climbed 6.7 percent, more than four times faster. A jump of this size can put older household budgets into a bind, forcing retirees to go without essentials when they run short before their next Social Security check.."Phone Scammers and 'Tele-doctors' Charged With Preying On Seniors in Fraud Case," Victoria Knight, NPR Health News, October 7, 201"U.S. Thwarts Medicare Genetic Testing Scam," Associated Press, September 29, 2019..Another issue known as "balance billing" arises when patients are billed the difference between what a doctor charges for a service and what an insurer is willing to pay for it.

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TSCL is working to develop legislation that would ensure greater retirement security for older Americans by providing a modest boost in benefits. TSCL believes that a boost can be provided if Congress would raise the taxable maximum earnings that are subject to Social Security taxes - requiring all workers to pay their fair share..The unexpected change received no prior public debate, it went into effect almost immediately, and it hit seniors who were just months away from claiming benefits. In a poll recently conducted by TSCL, 70% of respondents said they viewed the change as an "unnecessary benefit cut" rather than a "closure of an unintended loophole," as portrayed by Congress..The plans also reduce spending on premiums, because they eliminate the need for supplemental insurance. While the majority of Medicare beneficiaries still receive their Medicare benefits through traditional Medicare, many also purchase a Medicare supplement or "Medigap" policy to cover the considerable amount of out-of-pocket spending that Medicare alone does not cover, and a free-standing Part D drug plan. … Continued

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In April, more than 150 House lawmakers proposed a budget blueprint that would have reformed the Medicare program and cut Social Security benefits by adopting the "chained" CPI, eliminating the COLA for some seniors, and raising the eligibility age. Did you support this budget blueprint, and if so, why?.The suppressed growth in Social Security benefits not only creates ongoing benefit adequacy issues for retirees, but also Medicare budget problems when the COLA is not sufficient to cover rising Part B premiums for large numbers of beneficiaries. When the dollar amount of the annual Medicare Part B premium increase is greater than the dollar amount of an individual's annual cost of living adjustment, the Social Security benefits of about 70 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are protected by the hold-harmless provision in the Social Security Act. The Medicare Part B premium of those individuals is reduced to prevent their net Social Security benefits from being lower than the year before..Abusive high interest rates offered to high-risk borrowers who are most likely to default. Does the lender suggest a loan because of "bad credit or no credit?" To qualify for the lowest loan costs, borrowers earn low interest rates with good credit histories. Stay clear of dealers and lenders who promise to put you behind the wheel regardless of your credit. … Continued