Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage plans are administered by private insurers and cover all your Medicare Part A hospital, Part B doctors benefits. Many include Part D prescription drug benefits as well. They may also include coverage for benefits that aren't covered by Medicare, like vision or hearing services, as part of the premium, or you may pay extra for the coverage. You can enroll during your initial Medicare enrollment period or during the fall Open Enrollment Period that runs from October 15 through December To learn more about Medicare Advantage plans in your area, check your 2014 copy of Medicare & You. Call Medicare toll free at 1-800- MEDICARE ( 7) or visit Medicare.gov. .Several lawmakers at Tuesday's hearings voiced concerns about Congressman Mulvaney's Social Security and Medicare reform positions. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) – Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee – said: "The opinions and views of Mr. Mulvaney are way out of touch with what the American people want. And more importantly, they are way, way out of touch with what President Trump campaigned on." Congressman Mulvaney stated, "I haven't exactly been a shy Member of Congress in my six years here, and I don't expect to end that here today or if I am confirmed as Director of OMB." He said he would be "completely and brutally honest" as a budget advisor to President Trump. .Repealing Obamacare would affect several people that I know, including my sister who is getting treated for cancer. She can't afford to lose her insurance and we both are very stressed about what could happen. I'm wondering about Members of Congress. What sort of health insurance do they get? Who pays for their health insurance? .For many aged 65 and older, times are already tough. Since 2005, health care costs have risen faster than inflation every year except 200We need to be working to make retirement more secure for the 130,000 seniors living in Southern Arizona who I represent and the millions of others across the country. I'll continue to fight to make that happen. .The expert witnesses at the hearing focused their suggestions on improving the marketplace. Edmud Hailsmaier – Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation – said policymakers should change how they see the individual market. He said it should be thought of as two distinct pools which include (1) individuals wishing to be protected against the financial liability of large health expenses, and (2) those who are very sick and have no other insurance options. .On Thursday, TSCL held its first ever town hall meeting with great success in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. TSCL would like to thank Congressional Candidate Mark Meadows for taking time out of his busy schedule to address concerned members and supporters. .Obamacare is not the first government program in which major implementation glitches had disastrous consequences for large numbers of beneficiaries. In 1977 changes that Congress made to the Social Security benefit formula created a major inequity in benefits that cost retirees tens of thousands of dollars in Social Security benefits over their lifetimes. The seniors affected are among the oldest and most vulnerable today. Born during 1917 through 1926, and known as "Notch Babies," they received substantially lower benefits than other seniors close to them in age with almost identical work and earnings records. The name refers to the plunging "V" notch when benefits of Notch Babies are charted on a graph. .Meanwhile, TSCL continues to work for passage of Notch Fairness Act, legislation that would provide ,000 payable in four annual installments, or an improved monthly benefit. The bill has been re-introduced in both the House and the Senate and has 22 co-sponsors. TSCL remains committed to Notch Reform and we continue to meet with Members of Congress to build support for this needed remedy. .The 30 percent of beneficiaries who are not protected by hold harmless include: