Survey the assisted living and long term care options available in your area. You can start your search by phone or online using the Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-111The Eldercare Locator is a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging and connects people with services in your community. .Case 1—A woman who was born in Mexico worked illegally under an invalid SSN for 6 years. Later when she received a work authorized SSN, she had the earlier wages, earned while illegal, transferred to her record and then filed for Social Security disability benefits. From 1999 to 2002 this woman collected approximately ,990 in disability benefits, including benefits for dependents based on her account. Estimated benefits over 20 years — 4,275. .TSCL would like to thank the following for taking time out of their busy schedules to discuss issues of critical importance to seniors: Congressman David Valadao (CA-21), Congressman Mike Coffman (CO-6), Congressman Phil Roe (TN-1), and Mr. Thomas Woodburn (Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-1)). .How can I get in contact with Medicare? .Using statistical data from the Social Security Administration, TSCL estimates about 88 percent of Social Security beneficiaries have received benefits during the 2009 – 2015 period and have been impacted the hardest. "With 64 percent of older Americans depending on Social Security for over half of their income, going without a COLA is a loss of income that most beneficiaries simply can't be expected to bear," Cates says. Spiking medical costs are causing retirees to go into debt, and run through their savings," he adds. .The AWI, however, is susceptible to causing permanent benefit reductions when it turns negative, which can happen in years of deep economic recession and extraordinarily high unemployment, as was the case in 2020. Last year, concerns were high that the reductions could be as high as 9.1%, according to an estimate by Social Security's Chief Actuary Stephen Goss. But since then the economy and wages have steadily recovered and the dip in the AWI, if any, is not expected to be so deep. .We encourage you to tell incumbent Members of Congress who are running for re-election what you expect from the lawmakers who represent you. Outline the changes you support for Social Security and ask the candidates if they are willing to end the tax breaks for the wealthy so that all working Americans can enjoy a more secure retirement. .During last fall's debt limit deal, Members of Congress passed legislation containing un-debated, secret provisions that made two major changes to Social Security benefit claiming strategies. The changes cut the expected retirement income of some married couples already at full entitlement age. Do you believe entitlement cuts are necessary in exchange for your vote to lift the debt limit in the future? .Healthcare researchers are questioning the surge in medical testing, particularly the aggressive use of advanced radiology tests like CTs, MRIs and ultrasounds. Their use has become routine, but doctors are not necessarily diagnosing more diseases and the tests can expose patients to high levels of radiation that can cause cancer. Some critics blame "defensive medicine" to avoid malpractice suits, but that's only part of the problem. Some critics say that the tests are becoming a crutch as doctors have less and less time to spend with patients. And all say that the profit motives give doctors incentives to over prescribe the tests.