Should Social Security benefits be adjusted annually using a locality – based payment rate? Some of you, particularly those of you who are retired federal employees know far more about locality - based pay adjustments than I do. I hope you folks can set us straight on a new legislative proposal that would use locality- based pay adjustment rates to adjust Social Security benefits. My quest­ion to you — is this a good idea? Why or why not? .Also, this week the Trump administration announced plans to keep 90 days of medical supplies on hand to help gird against future flare-ups of the outbreak, something that we think should have been made national policy a long time ago. .TSCL's Three Legislative Wins For Disabled And Older Americans .During the recent government shutdown, a group of feisty World War II vets managed to do what Congress failed miserably to do for another 15 days – reopen a part of our shuttered government. The National Mall and parks in Washington D.C. were closed to visitors. But on day one of the shutdown, CNN reported that "busloads of World War II vets, many in wheel chairs, broke past the barricades to visit the World War II Memorial as onlookers applauded." As the cameras rolled and several Members of Congress were busy trading blame, a line of vets rolled past security officers "who willingly stepped aside," CNN reported. .Much of the debate over federal deficit reduction plans has been focused on overhauling Medicare and making changes to Social Security. But a major funding change is also under consideration for Medicaid, the federal and state program that covers medical care for lower-income individuals including seniors who also receive Medicare. As federal and state governments struggle to address Medicaid funding shortfalls, TSCL is concerned that Notch Babies, and the families who provide care for them, would be among those who would be hit the hardest by funding cuts. .Budget Moves Through Committee .Currently, Social Security COLAs are based on the way young, urban workers spend their money, and because items like gasoline and electronics are weighted more heavily than medical costs and housing expenses, they underestimate the inflation Social Security beneficiaries experience. For example, this year, if COLAs were based on the spending patterns of seniors, Social Security beneficiaries would be receiving a COLA of around 2 percent instead of a 0.3 percent increase. .In a statement that was released shortly thereafter, White House spokesperson Brandi Hoffine said, "Today, two judges of the 5th Circuit chose to misinterpret the facts and the law in denying the government's request for a stay. As the powerful dissent from Judge Higginson recognizes, President Obama's immigration executive actions are fully consistent with the law." .The "house calls" can be money-makers for health plans when they document medical problems like complications from diabetes or heart trouble. Health plans profit because Medicare pays higher rates for sicker patients using a billing formula based on the patient's "risk score." Plans can receive thousands of dollars in higher payments from Medicare even though the insurer incurs no additional costs for covering Medicare services for your brother.