Finally, one new cosponsor – Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL-20) – signed on to the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act (H.R. 574) this week bringing the total up to thirty-seven. If signed into law, H.R. 574 would repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which is the flawed formula that is currently used to determine reimbursements for physicians who treat Medicare patients. Adopting H.R. 574 would bring increased stability to the Medicare program for both physicians and beneficiaries. .Does Medicare provide coverage for eye care services or eyeglasses? .However, the ACA, also known as "Obamacare", already requires health insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. We are not sure why The President said what he did, except that his administration is in court trying to have the ACA declared unconstitutional, and maybe he anticipates a need for his order. .Women who earn less are particularly disadvantaged because females tend to live longer compared to men but have to live on less in benefits. The Social Security Administration website tells us that the typical woman receives ,218 each month while the typical man receives ,534 per month — meaning that, on average, men receive 25% more in Social Security benefits. This means that women have much less money to cover their expenses over a longer period. .Finally, two new cosponsors – Representative Jim Renacci (OH-16) and Representative Beto O'Rourke (TX-16) – signed on to the bipartisan CREATES Act (H.R. 2212), bringing the total up to twenty-one. If adopted, the CREATES Act would increase competition in the prescription drug industry by encouraging generic and biosimilar drug manufacturers to introduce their products to the market more quickly. .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. .Sen. Sherrod Brown Introduces CPI-E Bill .Do you have a mortgage? A recent survey by national mortgage banker American Financing found that 44% of Americans between the ages of 60 and 70 have a mortgage when they retire. Of that group, almost one-in-three expect to be paying on their mortgage for at least eight more years. Life insurance can cover mortgage payments if you die, and a term life policy can be timed to end with debt payments. .In addition, U.S. Customs may be trying to clamp down on prescription drugs being shipped to American consumers from Canadian pharmacies. Although "reimportation" of prescription drugs from abroad continues to be illegal, Customs and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have only intermittently seized shipments of Canadian drugs in the past. Canadian mail order pharmacies and drug-buying programs run by senior advocates reported earlier this year that the number of seizures has more than quadrupled recently.