In setting prices, drug makers rarely acknowledge the considerable federal funding and research that have helped develop their products; they have not offered taxpayer-investors financial payback. .Watch our newest video featuring TSCL's Board of Trustees as they work for our benefits in our nation's Capitol. .These laws affect state or local government workers in twenty-six states and teachers in fifteen states, because their employers do not withhold Social Security taxes from their salaries. The GPO affects public servants who are entitled to Social Security spousal or survivors benefits based on the work history of a husband or wife. Often, the benefits to which they are entitled are eliminated altogether. The WEP affects those public servants who have earned pensions from their state or local government, but have also paid into Social Security through previous employment. Their earned Social Security benefits are often unfairly reduced by one-half or more. .When AZT, the first effective drug for combating the virus that causes AIDS, was introduced in 1992, it was priced at up to ,000 a year or about 0 a month. It was the most expensive prescription drug in history, at that time. The price was widely denounced as "inhuman." Today that price gets you some drugs for toenail fungus. .On Monday, lawmakers in the House revealed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which would replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) if signed into law. Just two days later – before the Congressional Budget Office had a chance to evaluate the proposal – Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance the proposal. .The House of Representatives has outlined specific reforms that maintain the current Medicare program for those aged 55 and older with no disruption and saves Medicare for future seniors by offering those beneficiaries a premium support program. Specifically for younger workers, when they reach eligibility, Medicare will provide a payment and a list of guaranteed coverage options – including a traditional fee-for-service option from which recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs. These future Medicare beneficiaries will be able to choose a plan the same way members of Congress do. Medicare will also provide additional assistance for lower-income beneficiaries and those with greater health care needs. Our plan also stops the raid on Medicare trust fund that was going to pay for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, allowing any current Medicare savings to go directly to saving Medicare and not creating open-ended health entitlements. .The House passed H.R. 1868 by a vote of 246-175 on March 19, with 29 Republicans voting in favor of the bill. .This week, two new cosponsors – Reps. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (NY-25) and Joyce Beatty (OH-3) – signed on to the Strengthening Social Security Act (H.R. 3118), bringing the total up fifty-four. If signed into law, the bill would reform the Social Security program in three ways: it would adjust the benefit formula, resulting in more generous monthly benefits; it would adopt the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), resulting in more accurate cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and it would lift the cap on income subject to the payroll tax. TSCL enthusiastically supports H.R. 3118 since it would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund responsibly, without cutting benefits for seniors. We were pleased to see support grow for it this week. .It's smart to compare your health insurance options. Your Initial Enrollment period for Medicare begins three months before you attain age 65, the month you turn 65, and ends three months after you attain 6If you decide in favor of starting Medicare as soon as you are eligible, then you would want to shop and compare coverage costs now.