It would permanently set the Social Security Administration's administrative funding at 1.5 percent of overall benefit payments, more than doubling the funding that the administration currently receives. .Recently we received the following from one of our readers: .According to the report, CMS has not expanded the recovery audit program to Medicare Advantage by the end of 2010 as was required by the Patient Protection Act. Recovery audits have been used for years in other Medicare programs to recover improper payments. TSCL believes Congress must provide stronger oversight to ensure that scarce Medicare dollars are spent appropriately and to prevent private insurers from boosting profits by gauging both taxpayers and older Americans. .Start Now! .Congress Fails to Reach Agreement – President Takes Action .Insurance Industry Predicts Premium Increase .The Senior Citizens League is opposed to any payroll tax cut which would remove the major portion of Medicare Part A hospital insurance funding. That's money today's beneficiaries paid into the system during their working careers, and the same funds are needed today to reimburse hospital services for today's patients. .Sources: "Do You Like Your Doctor? Obamacare Drives UnitedHealth to Downsize its Medicare Physician Networks," Avik Roy, Forbes, November 18, 2013. .In February, after lawmakers allowed two government shutdowns to briefly take effect, Members of Congress finally passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 201The massive budget deal set spending levels for two years and lifted the debt ceiling through March of next year. It came as a surprise to many in Washington – including The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) – and the agreement put an end to cycles of funding extensions that temporarily and irresponsibly funded the federal government for years.