Something does need to happen. Seniors haven't received any cost of living adjustment (COLA) over the past two years — an unprecedented situation that hasn't occurred since the annual benefit adjustments began in the 1970's. At the same time, the cost of healthcare, petroleum products, and most recently, food and other consumer goods, are taking big jumps, eroding the purchasing power of benefits. .Are you the parent or spouse of someone with special needs? Permanent life insurance can make sure a child or spouse will have financial support when you are gone. .Why should seniors be saddled with the ripple effect of things they don't even buy? That just doesn't make sense. .This year's Trustees Reports show that both programs face modest financial challenges that can be addressed by Congress with minor changes. The Senior Citizens League supports the passage of legislation like the Social Security 2100 Act or the Social Security Expansion Act, both of which would strengthen the Social Security program's finances responsibly, without cutting benefits for current or future retirees. In addition, we hope Congress will pass legislation to bring down prescription drug costs in the Medicare program. Requiring Part D drug price negotiation would save billions of dollars for both the federal government and Medicare beneficiaries. .The CBO recently evaluated a number of different policy options for changing Social Security, noting three broad approaches that have received considerable attention, including: .If signed into law, the Social Security Protection and Truth in Budgeting Act would amend the Social Security Act to ensure that receipts and disbursements of the Social Security Trust Funds are not included in a unified federal budget. It would also mandate that Trust Fund monies cannot be diverted to create private accounts. .In the days and weeks ahead, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) will closely monitor the movement of S. Con. Res. 3 since a repeal of the Affordable Care Act will impact older Americans in several ways. For instance, progress that has been made to close the Medicare Part D prescription drug "doughnut hole" will be reversed, and the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund that finances Medicare Part A will lose a critical stream of funding created by the law. Throughout the 115th Congress, TSCL's legislative team will continue to advocate on Capitol Hill for legislation that would reduce any negative impacts on the Medicare program. .Provide a guaranteed minimum COLA of 3 percent. Providing a COLA guarantee of 3 percent in years when no, or an extremely low COLA is payable would eliminate the triggering of hold harmless and subsequent Medicare premium spikes on a program-wide basis. Because the vast majority of beneficiaries would be able to afford their premium increase, the cost of Part B premiums would be shared over the greatest possible number of beneficiaries, keeping Part B increases lower. .If signed into law, the Medicare Advantage Participant Bill of Rights Act would prevent Medicare Advantage plans from dropping physicians from their networks during the middle of the year, and it would require them to finalize their networks sixty days prior to the start of the open enrollment period.