Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse – Eliminating inefficiencies within Social Security and Medicare. .In Washington, my priority is helping improve the lives of the American people, and that includes addressing our nation's retirement system to ensure it serves our seniors more effectively. One way Congress did this was by passing the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 201This bill, which passed with my support, will streamline and update our nation's retirement system in several ways, including removing the age limitation on IRA contributions, increasing access to retirement plans by allowing small businesses to join together to offer plans, and allowing penalty-free distributions from a retirement account for the birth or adoption of a child. This legislation isn't perfect, but it is a step forward, and I am glad the SECURE Act was passed into law at the end of 201While approximately half of American households still don't have an option for work-based retirement plans, as a nation we must continue to work to advance access to retirement savings vehicles and decrease barriers to entry for small employers who want to offer savings plans to their employees. .After the drug executives announced they would not meet with the President, he went on Twitter and accused the pharmaceutical industry of running ads that lied about his new executive order. .While the House of Representatives has passed legislation (H.R. 1868) to stop those cuts, the Senate has been a question mark. .The new bill would reform the health care system in several ways if adopted. It would remove the ACA's individual and employer mandates, modify tax credits so they would be based on age instead of income, create a new penalty for individuals who do not maintain continuous health insurance coverage, and allow health insurers to charge older Americans five times more than they charge younger folks for their coverage, making health insurance unaffordable for millions of seniors who are not yet eligible for Medicare. .Despite receiving some pointed questions at Wednesday's hearing, most Senators on the panel seemed overwhelmingly supportive of Burwell's nomination. Sen. Tom Coburn (OK) introduced her to the Finance Committee and he recommended her confirmation, saying: "When you have someone who is competent and also has a strong character, you find a way to get past your differences and try to solve your problems." In addition, in his opening remarks, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (WV) said, "We need you, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, very, very much." .This week, one new cosponsor – Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP) – signed on to the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E) Act (H.R. 1030), bringing the total up to twenty. If signed into law, the CPI-E Act would base the Social Security COLA upon the spending patterns of seniors. Currently, it's based upon the way young, urban workers spend their money – a method that underestimates the spending inflation that seniors experience each year. .The situation can be potentially dangerous for Medicare beneficiaries and their families. If you are approached or receive a call by someone offering money, free services, free groceries, free transportation or TVs for your Medicare number, say no. If you suspect fraud, Medicare has an area on its website where you can report fraud. .Apply for Medicaid coverage while you wait. Check with a counselor at your local area Agency on Aging or local Medicaid department. Medicaid can take several months to start.