Seniors are reporting that in recent years they have frequently put off visits to the doctor and other healthcare providers due to economic reasons, according to recent TSCL surveys. You may have been told that the new healthcare reform law provides "free" new preventive benefits. While that made a good sound bite for the TV news and those Andy of Mayberry ads, the reality is most Medicare beneficiaries will probably still have some out-of-pocket costs. In order to qualify for the "free" preventive services you need the following: .The following Members of Congress, among others, will hold town halls this week: Sen. Michael Crapo (ID), Sen. Jerry Moran (KS), Sen. Mike Lee (UT), Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-3), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), and Rep. Donna Edwards (MD-4). .Before the New Year even started, TSCL had been working to convince Members of our new Congress of the immediate need to replace 2021's meager 1.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) with a 3% emergency inflation adjustment. We strongly support "The 3% Emergency COLA Act," introduced by Representatives Peter DeFazio (OR-4) and John Larson (CT-1) and efforts to include provisions of this bill in emergency stimulus funding legislation. .Before recommending the zero premiums, I helped Paula estimate potential costs. New managed care Medicare Advantage plans differ from traditional Medicare supplements by charging co-payments that can be substantial for each hospitalization, visit to the doctor, or other service received. Supplements tend to charge high premiums, but cover most, or all, of the co-insurance costs, leaving beneficiaries to pay little or nothing when they receive a service. If Paula had to be hospitalized or developed a serious illness, the co-payments charged by the Medicare Advantage plan could quickly add up to be just as much, possibly more, than what she would pay in premiums for her state retiree Medicare supplement. .Set up a healthcare worksheet with your basic expenses. That can include Medicare premiums for Part B (deducted from your Social Security), Medicare supplement premiums and Part D premiums OR Medicare Advantage premiums. You also need to include deductibles, out-of-pocket co-pays or co-insurance. In addition, include the costs for premiums or out-of-pocket costs for services that Medicare does not cover, including dental, vision and audio. Include the cost of glasses and hearing aids and batteries if you use them. .According to experts, the risk of catching the coronavirus on a plane is relatively low if the airline is following the procedures laid out by public health experts: enforcing mask compliance, spacing out available seats and screening for sick passengers. .TSCL Announces Support for New Bill .TSCL believes the current COLA is not sustainable for today's retirees and disabled beneficiaries, and is lobbying for legislation that would provide a minimum COLA of 3% in years in which inflation drops lower. What do you think? Visit TSCL's website at and take a poll. ."TSCL strongly believes that earnings under invalid SSNs should be also be invalid for entitlement to benefits," says Hyland. "Document fraud, identity theft and violation of immigration law should not be rewarded with Social Security benefits, especially as Congress considers cutting Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs)," he states. To learn more and find out how much you could lose by COLA cuts, visit http:// /chained-cola-calculator/. To learn more, visit .