Worst of all, patients don't qualify for Medicare coverage of follow-up nursing home care, because Medicare requires three consecutive days in the hospital as an "inpatient." That leaves the patient and their families on their own to figure out how to pay nursing home bills, or to go without. .Many expected immigration reform to be a focal point of the President's speech, however, his remarks on the topic were vague and very brief. In one short paragraph, he said, "Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have acted. I know that members of both parties in the House want to do the same … So let's get immigration reform done this year." TSCL has some serious concerns about comprehensive immigration reform, since it would further strain the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. We strongly feel that any efforts to reform the system should include loophole-closing legislation that would prevent immigrants from receiving benefits based on a history of illegal work. .Deductibles: This is the amount you pay out – of – pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. Most people get CT scans as outpatients under Medicare Part B, which has a deductible of 3 in 2021, meaning you might be responsible for that amount. If your scan is part of a hospital stay as an inpatient, it would bill under Part A which has a deductible of ,48Because you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, your deductible amounts can vary from the standard Medicare amount. It's a good idea to call your health plan before getting any services, to get an idea about the cost. For people covered by a Medigap supplement, it will cover the Part A deductibles but, as of January 2020, insurers are no longer allowed to sell plans that cover the Part B deductible, Plans C and Plan F to new enrollees. .As a nonpartisan grassroots organization, we make our policy decisions based on only one thing: what is best for senior citizens. .Of the more than 1,200 people who participated, 766 sent in comments. Most described their personal challenges in meeting their healthcare expenses. In what may be a sign of the times, a surprising number indicated they are working far longer than they ever thought they would, even into their late 70's and 80's, because they don't have enough to live on after paying their healthcare costs. Even seniors who do have good Medicare supplemental and drug coverage described how they keep costs in check by asking their doctor to prescribe generics, filling prescriptions for 90 days, splitting pills, and sticking to preferred pharmacies. .Lawmaker Sponsors Honesty in CPI Reporting Act .First, re-shop your Medicare prescription drug coverage every fall during Open Enrollment season -- and the same goes for Medicare Advantage if you're in one of these plans. Insurance companies often change their offerings year-to-year in ways that can increase drug costs by hundreds of dollars, or make it more difficult to get certain drugs. At the same time, your drug needs may have changed since the last plan selection period in ways that make a plan less beneficial for you. .Without changes, SSDI will only take in enough revenues to pay 80% of scheduled benefits by 201TSCL believes that suspected fraud is compounding the crisis in the disability program, and that Congress should cut fraud — not benefits of those who are truly in need. TSCL supports measures that would provide stiffer penalties for disability fraud, make eligibility criteria more objective and measurable, and step up reviews to determine whether people currently on the rolls remain entitled to benefits. .For more information about the Social Security Expansion Act (S. 427), visit the Bill Tracking section of our website. To sign a petition to Congress, click here. To stay updated on The Senior Citizens League's advocacy work on Capitol Hill, follow us on Twitter.