This week, TSCL endorsed two new bills from Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-35) – the Transparent Drug Pricing Act (H.R. 4116) and the Competitive DRUGS Act (H.R. 4117). If signed into law, the bills would promote transparency in the prescription drug industry and prevent anti-competitive pay-for-delay deals, in which brand-name drug companies pay generic drug makers millions of dollars to delay the introduction of their generic medicines to the market. .Last Friday, MedPAC released its most recent report to Congress, and on Wednesday, Mike Miller – MedPAC's Executive Director – testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. At the hearing, he focused on the report's key recommendations, which include maintaining bonus payments for primary care physicians who treat Medicare patients, and increasing financial assistance for low-income beneficiaries. .The pharmaceutical industry warns the move could damage its profits and take away incentives to invent new treatments. .This week, The Senior Citizens League released its final estimate for the 2019 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and four key bills gained support in Congress. .According to Bloomberg News, "Budget officials analyzed prices of 176 popular brand name drugs and found the price for a 30-day supply of medication was 8 on average through Medicaid and 3 through Medicare Part D, which pays for prescription drugs in retail pharmacies. The government also paid twice as much on the same drugs through Medicare versus the Veterans Affairs program." .Proponents say that the change is needed because the CPI is inaccurate and doesn't reflect the effect on inflation when consumers substitute different types of lower-costing goods and services as prices increase. They argue that the government overpays Social Security beneficiaries because the current index is inaccurate and overstates inflation. .By using reconciliation, it would mean there would have to billions of dollars cut from current spending programs, including Medicare. .However, the statisticians behind it at the University of Washington have since changed their methods, and they now estimate that doing away with social distancing measures could entail vast numbers of deaths, and that widespread mask-wearing in public could save tens of thousands of lives. .Changes are looming for Medicare and Social Security. Make your opinion count. Visit TSCL online at and take our monthly poll. We'll announce the results in upcoming issues of this newsletter.