This week, TSCL delivered letters to several leaders in Congress – including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), House Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-1), and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (NC-11) – urging immediate action on the looming debt ceiling crisis. .TSCL has many veterans among its supporters and no-doubt not all of them have a disability rating so they may be happy to know that Congress is considering including them in the VA's Covid-19 vaccination efforts. .You can depend on TSCL to be in the middle of the fight to secure Social Security and Medicare and make sure we all receive the benefits we depend on and that we have already paid for during our working years. .According to that study, during a recent five-year period, Medicare spending on hundreds of medicines to treat various neurologic conditions, such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, rose 50%, but the number of claims increased only 8%. .The study, which examined price changes from January of 2019 to January of this year found that, since 2000, the buying power of Social Security benefits improved 3 percentage points— from a loss of 33 percent as of 2019 to 30 percent in 2020. Between January of 2000 and January of 2020, Social Security COLAs increased Social Security benefits by 53 percent, but the costs of goods and services purchased by typical retirees rose almost twice as much — 99.3 percent. Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs, housing, and homeowner's insurance were among the most rapidly - rising costs over the past year. .On Thursday – one day later than promised – lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee released the text of legislation that will comprehensively reform the tax code if signed into law. Despite the delay, leaders in the House expressed their commitment to passing the legislation before the Thanksgiving recess begins on November 17th. Just eight legislative days remain before then. .The financial impact of six years of low COLAs isn't immediately apparent to the average person, but "It's a big one, " Cates says. A new analysis for TSCL that compared the increases from 2010 through 2015 against the prior 3% average found that, altogether, the benefits of the typical Social Security recipient will be about ,298 lower by the end of 201In 2015 the average monthly Social Security benefit will be about 3 lower, and ,356 less for the year. .Surprise! Recent Budget Law Accelerates Closing Of Medicare Part D Doughnut Hole .Understand which type works best for you. Medicare supplemental or Medigap premiums currently tend to be higher, often by hundreds of dollars, than those of Medicare Advantage Plans. In fact, there are Medicare Advantage Plans that offered hospital, doctor, and prescription drug coverage for Premium support by itself is no shoo-in for cutting federal spending. In fact, the track record is pretty messy. The costs for Medicare Part D have been lower than originally projected. Competition between Part D drug plans seems to be working, for now, to keep costs down both for the government and for some seniors — particularly those who carefully shop and compare drug plans each year. .We are still learning how well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease. .At the time of writing this week's legislative update, lawmakers in the Senate had not yet voted on the CR, and a coalition of Democrats had vowed to block it unless Republicans agreed to include year-long funding for the health care benefits of coal miners. The House-passed package includes funding for only four months, and Members of Congress in that chamber left town shortly after its passage. .What is it going to cost? Is there a less expensive alternative? .The Advisory Office would give seniors hope in recovering their assets. It would address the low reporting rates by directing the FTC to educate seniors, families, and caregivers about the process for contacting law enforcement after being targeted in a fraud scheme. It would direct FTC to help improve the nation's fraud response efforts by reforming FTC's complaint system as well as enhancing fraud surveillance through better coordination with law enforcement agencies. .This week, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) announced its support for new legislation that would improve the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). .Johnson cautions, "The current inflationary trend may only be temporary, because prices today are compared with a big sudden drop in prices a year ago when the impact of COVID-19 first began to hit our economy." "The jump we see now is centered primarily on energy prices, but a number of other spending categories have stayed relatively flat," she says. .When Medicare Part B premiums spiked in 2015, Congress was not focused on the adequacy of the COLA. Instead, it was focused on the Medicare Part B funding lost when beneficiaries were protected from paying increased premiums. While the subsequent Medicare Part B premium increase for 2016 was reduced, it was still a very substantial increase of 16%, and all beneficiaries were required to repay the costs in higher Part B premiums in following years. Beneficiaries saw no growth in their net Social Security benefits in 2016, again in 2017 when the COLA was just 0.03% and, about half of all beneficiaries were once again affected in 2018 when a 2% COLA became payable. .Social Security is the largest single source of income for older Americans, providing the majority of income for half of retirees, and at least 90% of income for 18% of retirees, according to another think tank, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. premiums in 200Don't let the lure of zero premiums fool you, because you will pay in other ways, especially if you get sick.