The news was dominated by the pandemic and the beginning of the vaccination roll-out, the drama over President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act as well as his threatened veto of the government funding/economic stimulus bill, and his continued attempts to try and overturn the election results. .Rapidly climbing prices for consumer goods and services are making financial choices for older adults especially challenging this year. But eventually, these higher prices might mean a higher Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) for next year. In the meantime, older consumers are struggling to figure out how to pay for. Buying Power of Social Security Benefits Wiped Out by Soaring Inflation An abrupt jump in inflation in February and March of this year wiped out a short-lived improvement in the buying power of Social Security benefits in 2020, according to TSCL's latest study on rising senior costs. The study, which compares the growth in the Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLA)s with increases in the. Are We Experiencing the Return of Inflation? , editor .The federal government negotiates prescription drug prices for Medicaid and for veterans, but it is barred from negotiating lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. As a result, senior citizens enrolled in Part D often pay much higher prices for their prescriptions. What are you doing to correct this unfair policy? .Which is right for you? Medigap policies tend to have have higher premiums, but pay most of your out-of-pocket costs, so your costs stay more consistent and predictable. You are also free to use any healthcare provider that accepts Medicare. If you choose Medigap you will also need to enroll in a separate Part D prescription drug plan. Medicare Advantage plans tend to have lower premiums and include drug coverage, but you will have deductibles, as well as co-pays and cost sharing for most services. Hospitalizations could be costly. Many Medicare Advantage plans are managed care and require that you use participating providers to receive reimbursement for your care. .TSCL believes the current COLA is not sustainable for today's retirees and disabled beneficiaries, and is lobbying for legislation that would provide a minimum COLA of 3% in years in which inflation drops lower. What do you think? Visit TSCL's website at and take a poll. .The real danger of traveling isn't the flight itself. However, going through security and waiting at the gate for your plane to dock are both likely to put you in close contact with people and increase your chances of contracting the virus. In addition, boarding — when the plane's ventilation system is not running and people are unable to stay distanced from one another — is one of the riskiest parts of the travel process. "Minimizing this time period is important to reduce exposure," wrote Corsi. "Get to your seat with your mask on and sit down as quickly as possible." .As we have written recently, Grassley's main problem in getting his bill passed in the Senate is opposition from his fellow Republicans. Grassley said he needs at least 25 Republican co-sponsors to get his bill (S. 2543) to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Ten Republicans other than Grassley have so far made public shows of support for the legislation. .Three Key Bills Re-Introduced in Congress .Since 2010, seniors have failed to receive a COLA increase three times. When a COLA increase did occur, it has never met seniors' needs. In 2016, the increase was a meager 0.3% and it was only 2% in 2017.