It's hard to say until you crunch the numbers. You may qualify for Social Security benefits with as little as ten years of work through your self-employment. But even if you do, you will be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) which reduces Social Security benefits when you receive a pension based on non-covered government employment. .Based on the growth rate of the Consumer Price Index for Workers (CPI-W) over past 12 months, I'm projecting a COLA in the vicinity of 3.6% for 201But Congress may take action that would slow the growth of the COLA. Deficit reduction plans are likely to call for switching to the "chained" CPI, a move that TSCL feels would further undermine the purchasing power of benefits. The difference between the CPI-W and chained COLA has averaged about 0.3 percentage point since 2000, but that's not the case this year. In fact, if the switch were to affect the COLA payable in 2012, seniors would get a COLA of about 2.8% — a cut of more than 20%. .With about 1 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Located just outside Washington, D.C., its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and to protect and defend the benefits senior citizens have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of TREA The Enlisted Association. Please visi more at or call 1-800-333-8725 for more information. .If adopted, H.R. 1170 would strengthen and expand the Social Security program by providing beneficiaries with a monthly benefit boost, basing cost-of-living adjustments on the CPI-E, and setting the Special Minimum Benefit at 125 percent of the poverty line. It would also apply the payroll tax to all income – including investment income – over 0,000. .Implementing Medicaid cuts is proving even harder than getting the cuts enacted into law. In Connecticut for example, the state General Assembly recently voted overwhelmingly to reverse healthcare program cuts that they had passed just a few months before. Connecticut's 2017 budget agreement lowered the Medicaid program's income eligibility limits last year. The cuts, originally planned to go into effect January 1, would have kicked an estimated 86,000 older and disabled people off Medicare Savings Programs which pays Part B premiums and out -of - pocket costs, and moved another 27,000 to a second level of the program that provides less financial assistance. But, by January 8, 2018, the cuts were reversed by an overwhelming 130-3 vote, despite lingering concerns over financing. .TSCL believes that the Supplemental Poverty Measure is a more fair and appropriate measure of poverty today. We encourage you to ask Congressional candidates where they stand on programs to reduce poverty affecting older Americans. .In addition, President Obama issued a veto threat earlier this week when he released a Statement of Administration Policy that read: "The Administration is committed to strengthening Medicare for those who depend on it and protection of the public's health. We believe this legislation fails to accomplish these goals." .2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine .Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) came under attack for criticizing state aid and suggesting some declare bankruptcy. He subsequently said he would consider such relief but not to address problems pre-dating the coronavirus crisis. McConnell insists that the next bill must contain language limiting liability for businesses as the economy reopens.