"Because earnings are used to determine entitlement, the portion of earnings from jobs worked prior to legal authorization poses a substantial long-term liability to the Social Security Trust Fund," Cates says. In order to improve Social Security solvency, Congress is expected to consider cutting Social Security benefits, perhaps significantly, at some point in the future. "This policy that ‘pays benefits based on work while in the country illegally raises questions as to whether individuals who worked without authorization and committed document fraud will benefit at the expense of others who paid in under valid SSNs," Cates notes. .However, the pharmaceutical industry has spent billions of dollars over the years fighting this kind of legislation and passing it will not be easy. .Every year since the late 1990's, Congress has ‘balanced' the budget by declaring a pay cut to doctors' Medicare services. Every year, after the budget for the next year is revealed, this cut is rescinded. .Deductible: During the initial deductible, the beneficiary pays 100% of the cost of the drug—up to 5 depending on the plan. Many plans provide immediate coverage on generics, and even preferred brand drugs "before the deductible." In this type of plan, you only pay the full price up to the deductible on higher tier drugs, and some plans don't charge a deductible at all. .Nationwide, the picture is equally bleak, with more than 60 million Americans at risk of losing access to the rural hospitals that serve their families. What's worse – in order to prevent rural hospitals from closing under a Medicare-for-all regime, Medicare would have to increase hospital payments up to 60% higher than current Medicare rates. .Recreation (televisions, toys, pets and pet products, sports equipment, admissions); .TSCL is very supportive of the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act, since it would make COLAs more accurate and extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Funds responsibly, without enacting benefit cuts. Currently, Rep. Deutch's bill has five cosponsors – Reps. David Cicilline (RI-1), Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), James Langevin (RI-2), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-9). We look forward to working with Rep. Deutch and Sen. Begich in the coming months to help build support and to pass the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act into law. .Second, three new cosponsors signed on to the Social Security Expansion Act (H.R. 1114), bringing the total up to thirty-six. The new cosponsors are Representative Robert Brady (PA-1), Representative Albio Sires (NJ-8), and Representative Tim Ryan (OH-13). If adopted, H.R. 1114 would enhance Social Security benefits by basing COLAs on the CPI-E, increasing monthly benefits by around , improving the Special Minimum Benefit, applying the payroll tax to income above 0,000, and applying a 6.2 percent tax on investment income for wealthy individuals. .Here are two actual cases from the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, and estimates of what the cost would be over a 20-year period by Advisor editor, Mary Johnson.