The White House confirmed that many of those affected would be eligible for Social Security, Medicare and a wide array of federal benefits. "TSCL is concerned that the President's executive action would not only provide authorization to legally work in this country, but access to Social Security and Medicare benefits that, under current policy, could be based in part on earnings under fraudulent Social Security numbers," says TSCL Chairman, Ed Cates. "With the Social Security Disability Insurance program facing insolvency by the end of 2016, and beneficiaries facing a 20 percent benefit cut, we are calling on Congress to end this policy that pays benefits based on document fraud," Cates adds. .Essential Drugs Need to be made in the U.S. .It's unknown whether or not Congress will tackle the SGR before the end of the year, but most Subcommittee Members at Wednesday's hearing did seem set on providing extensions for the other payment provisions that are nearing expiration. .Government officials, like the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, can opt out of buying American drugs if the product is not produced "in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities" in the United States or buying the product in America would raise procurement costs by 25 percent. .When the Office of Inspector General matched the 6.5 million Social Security numbers against the Social Security Administrations file, it found 67,000 of the numbers were used to report wages for people other than the cardholders, a sign the numbers were used for illegal work. According to the Associated Press, one Social Security number was used 613 different times. An additional 194 numbers were used at least 50 times each. .Expanding Medicare coverage to include dental care. Millions of seniors are afflicted with age-related oral health issues. Yet under current law, the Medicare program is prohibited from covering most routine and emergency dental procedures, including fillings, root canals, extractions, and cleanings. The Medicare Dental Benefit Act (S. 22) would expand Medicare Part B coverage to include basic dental services and ensure that older Americans have access to the primary and preventive care that is needed to ensure good health in retirement. .The additional coronavirus emergency legislation is likely to crowd out many other items that were once on the Congressional priority lists for the summer. As a result, the list of other "must pass" legislation is increasingly small, with priority being given to bills to fund the federal government and renew Pentagon programs. .Until we know more about those questions, everyone — even people who've had their vaccines — should continue taking basic prevention steps when recommended. .This week, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for new legislation that would strengthen and expand the Social Security program, and the federal government reopened after lawmakers and President Donald Trump approved a short-term continuing resolution (CR).