This week, The Senior Citizens League was pleased to see support grow for three important bills that would strengthen the Social Security program and reduce prescription drug prices for Medicare Part D beneficiaries if signed into law. .When support for correcting the Notch reached a head, Congress established a 12-member commission to study the Notch and issue a report. No member appointed to the Commission, however, was on record as supporting the correction of the Notch disparity. On the other hand, a number of members, including the chairman, were on record as opposing such action. The Commission issued its report on December 29, 1994, concluding that "benefits paid to those in the Notch years are equitable, and no remedial legislation is in order." .Compounding the problem, in 2004 the U.S. and Mexico signed a totalization agreement allowing people who split their careers between two countries to receive a harmonized retirement benefit from the two governments. Since 1978, the U.S. has entered into similar agreements with 21 countries, and, as with previous agreements, the U.S.- Mexico totalization agreement applies only to legal U.S. residents. .During the pandemic, non-emergency elective hospital procedures were temporarily stopped to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission, to preserve scarce personal protective equipment and to keep hospital beds available for COVID care. According to JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, hospitals across the country have taken a major hit to their normal operating income. The American Hospital Association recently reported the average loss of revenues to U.S. hospitals of .7 billion per month from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. We don't yet know how much more hospitals have lost through the end of 2020. .Obamacare is not the first government program in which major implementation glitches had disastrous consequences for large numbers of beneficiaries. In 1977 changes that Congress made to the Social Security benefit formula created a major inequity in benefits that cost retirees tens of thousands of dollars in Social. Seventeen Co-sponsors for The Notch Fairness Act While Congress has been holding hearings and considering changes to Social Security, TSCL has been successful in gaining co-sponsors for The Notch Fairness Act. The bill, introduced in the House and Senate by Representative Mike McIntyre (NC-17) and Senator David Vitter (LA), would provide Notch Babies born from 1917 through 1926 their choice of ,000 paid. Risk of Deeper Benefit Cuts When Congress Waits The Notch Fairness Act In House And Senate .Don't delay. To learn more, find a local Social Security office or to apply online, visit the Social Security website at SocialSecurity.gov or call the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 .Legislation passed in 1983 required all Members of Congress to pay into Social Security. That said, like all high-income workers, they only pay Social Security up to the maximum taxable wage, which in 2012 is 0,100. Thus Members of Congress pay no Social Security taxes on the additional ,900 they receive as salary. Since Members of Congress are high-income earners, they are also in line for the maximum tax break due to the payroll tax cut extension. The payroll tax rate has temporarily been cut by 2%, meaning Members of Congress will save ,002 in 2012. .In his opening statement, HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (TN) said: "Our focus today is on what happens to the cost of the drug after it is approved by the FDA. We will examine the path an approved drug takes from the manufacturer to patient, and how this path affects what the patient pays … This is a discussion that affects the well-being of every American family. It is important that we work together to conduct this fact finding in a bipartisan way." .This week, Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts to continue the seven-week summer recess. They are expected to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, September 6th. In the meantime, most Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings in their home states and districts. TSCL encourages its members and supporters to attend these events and to voice their concerns about important Social Security and Medicare issues.