The group of retirees born from 1917 through 1926 (1), who became eligible for retirement benefits immediately after the 1977 law changes, was affected. Those born during the Notch years generally received substantially lower benefits than those paid to retirees born before and after them. When represented on a chart, the disparity in benefits forms a deep "V" notch, hence the name. .The irony is that when Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) because Senate Majority Leader in 2015 he said the Senate must return to "regular order," which means getting its work done in an orderly fashion and on time. .Nevertheless, Congress is considering ways to "redesign" Medicare. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that changing the cost-sharing rules for Medicare and restricting Medigap coverage would save the federal government 4 billion over the next ten years.[1] Medicare supplements, better known as Medigap, cover Medicare's deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs. The plans are popular with seniors because they provide financial certainty by reducing unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. .This week, one House Subcommittee approved a draft Medicare physician payment reform bill. In addition, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for legislation introduced by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46), and four key bills gained new cosponsors. .This week, the Senate Finance Committee met to discuss the proposed Medicare Part B drug demonstration program with Dr. Patrick Conway, the Acting Principle Deputy Administrator and Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). .While a drop in inflation should mean that people don't have to spend as much money due to higher prices, that hasn't been the case for older households, according to a survey by TSCL. The majority of survey participants, 72 percent, reported that their household budgets had gone up per month during 2015 even though the CPI-W in 2015 indicated that no COLA (for 2016) was payable. .Switching Drug Plans Can Save Big Money — Here's Proof .To learn more about the problems of disability listen to the NPR story "Unfit for Work" The startling rise of disability in America. .High drug or health plan premiums don't necessarily purchase better coverage. For example, the generic blood pressure medication Lisinopril is one of the most commonly used prescriptions by Medicare beneficiaries. The least expensive Part D plan in my area charges Now that Congress has passed President Biden's Covid-19 relief bill it must turn its attention immediately to passing legislation to delay billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare. .In the meantime, TSCL would like to remind you that many Senators and Representatives will attend local events or schedule town hall meetings while they are in their home states and districts, giving constituents an excellent opportunity to voice their concerns. We encourage you to approach your Members of Congress and request their support for fair cost-of-living adjustments, Notch fairness, a permanent "doc fix," and other key issues. .In April, lawmakers on the Republican Study Committee proposed a budget blueprint that would have reformed the Medicare program and cut Social Security benefits by adopting the "chained" CPI, eliminating the COLA for some seniors, and raising the eligibility age. Did you support this budget blueprint, and if so, why? .This week, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8) introduced H.R. 239, The Notch Baby Act. The Notch Baby Act, if signed into law, would grant an improved benefit computation for those born between 1917 and 1926, Notch Babies. The formula is slightly different than that used in Rep. Ralph Hall's (TX-4) Notch Fairness Act and does not have a cap on costs. .What happens when Congress waits too long to address a Social Security funding crisis? Deeper benefit cuts, sudden tax increases, and glitches in the implementation of reforms that can lead to significant benefit inequities between people close to each other in age. Consider the case of the Social Security Notch that led to the most significant benefit inequities in the history of the program. The Notch affects seniors born from 1917 through 1926 and other seniors having similar work histories and earnings. .Sen. Tom Harkin (IA) introduced S. 567 on March 14, 201It has since been referred to the Committee on Finance. .On Wednesday, Congressmen Elijah Cummings (MD-7) and Peter Welch (VT) met with President Donald Trump to discuss the state of the prescription drug industry. At the meeting, they requested President Trump's support for TSCL-backed legislation called the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act (H.R. 242, S. 41), which would require the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare Part D beneficiaries. Currently, Medicare is prohibited from doing so despite the fact that other federal health programs are required to. .TSCL's Endorsement Sought for Social Security Bill .The bill now moves on to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for a markup, and later it will likely move to the House Ways and Means Committee, where more offsets will be added. Lawmakers in both the House and the Senate hope to repeal and replace the SGR before January 1st – if they fail to act, doctors who treat Medicare patients will see a 25 percent pay cut. TSCL was pleased to see the subcommittee's bill progress this week, and we are hopeful that Members of Congress will pass a permanent solution before the end of this year in order to preserve seniors' access to quality medical care. As the negotiations evolve, we will continue to post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. copay for Tier 1 generics, and the monthly premium is just .50 in the zip code used in this search. The most expensive plan charges a co-pay of .19, and the plan has a monthly premium of .30 — a difference of ,055.88 for the entire year counting premiums!