The alternative to this approach is control by a board of unelected bureaucrats known as the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). This board will consist of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats empowered to make decisions about what kind of care people on Medicare can receive. I am greatly concerned that this board is being given way too much authority to determine what benefits are covered and how much physicians are paid. This commission's sole intention will be to determine whether Medicare is spending more than is budgeted and, if so, to offer "fixes" to cut back on Medicare spending that would then be fast-tracked with very little opportunity for Congressional input. President Obama's former Budget Director Peter Orszag called IPAB "the single biggest yielding of power to an independent entity since the creation of the federal reserve." I believe the best way to control costs in Medicare is to increase choice and competition, not cede control of health care decisions to a board of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. .First, two new cosponsors – Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD) and Senator Deb Fischer (NE) – signed on to the bipartisan Know the Lowest Price Act (S. 2553), bringing the total up to thirteen. If adopted, the bill would prohibit "gag clauses" that prevent pharmacists from telling patients when their prescriptions would be cheaper out-of-pocket than through their insurance plans. .Provides better payroll data collection to reduce improper payments due to work. .In addition, one new cosponsor – Rep. John Larson (CT-1) – signed on to the Strengthening Social Security Act (H.R. 3118), bringing the total up fifty-eight. If signed into law, the bill would reform the Social Security program in three ways: it would adjust the benefit formula, resulting in more generous monthly benefits; it would adopt the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), resulting in more accurate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and it would lift the cap on income subject to the payroll tax. It would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund responsibly, without cutting benefits for seniors. .My sister's son-in-law lost his job several years ago, and not long after filed for disability. My sister says that after a recent tornado, he made "good" money cleaning up storm damage. I thought disability rules disqualified people from benefits if they work. Has this changed? .To fix the program, TSCL also supports an increase in Continuing Disability Reviews, which are conducted to determine whether an enrollee still qualifies for benefits, and an increase in the payroll tax cap, which currently sits at 8,500. We will continue to advocate for these and other long-term solutions that we believe would return the program to solvency responsibly. .House Committee Advances IPAB Repeal .TSCL Announces Support for PRIME Act .Forty-five percent (45%) say their retirement savings dropped significantly in value and that they have cut back on spending. Another 13 percent (13%) say their retirement savings have dropped, but they are unable to cut back any further.