Participants in The Senior Citizens League's surveys indicate that household medical expenses consume a significant portion of their monthly income. More than 39 percent of respondents to a recent survey say that they spend more than 0 per month on Medicare and other healthcare costs. In 2020, the average Social Security benefit is ,460, but the 1.6 percent COLA raised the average Social Security benefit by only .40 per month this year. The following chart illustrates ten of the fastest growing retiree costs since 2000. .Where to find premium information. Rather than calling insurance agencies for quotes, first visit the website of your state insurance commission and look for a publication listing all the state-approved Medigap insurers and Medigap plans (A through N) sold in your state. The information includes the insurer's company name, phone number and website address, and more crucially, the current premiums for the plans (A through N). Since all insurers are required to cover the same benefits under specific plans (A through N) then all you need to do is select the plan covering the benefits you are interested in (such as Plan F), then find a good insurer with the lowest premium for the plan you are shopping for. Not all states have all plans. Calls to the insurer are necessary to confirm premium quotes for your zip code. For Part D Plans, or Medicare Advantage plans, use the health and drug plan finder on the Medicare website at www.Medicare.gov. It's important to select those plans by selecting the lowest-costing plan based on the prescriptions you currently take. .This study looks at 39 expenditures that are typical for people age 65 and up, comparing the growth in the prices of these goods and services to the growth in the annual COLAs. It includes cost increases in Medicare premiums and out of pocket costs that aren't tracked under the index currently used to calculate the COLA. .Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its warning for cruise travel for the first time since several outbreaks on ships brought the industry to a halt last year. .Pressure politicians. "Candidates who don't take a stand on Social Security in this important election year choose to put the program's strength at risk in the long-term," AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said in a statement. "Though people of all ages rely on it, its importance to older Americans — already under tremendous pressure from wage stagnation and shrinking pensions — is only likely to grow." .Now there are ads in various parts of the country being run by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, accusing House Republicans of doing the bidding of drug industry donors by opposing the bill. Unremarked upon are the House Democrats who've also received money from the industry — and whose opposition is seen as potentially fatal to the legislation. .To find contact information for your Members of Congress, to learn about important issues affecting seniors, or to sign a petition to Congress, visit the ACTION CENTER of our website. .TSCL is hopeful that lawmakers will pass a stopgap measure before the October deadline, since a government shutdown could negatively impact Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries. We will keep a close eye on the evolving negotiations over the next two weeks, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. .This year's Trustees Reports show that both programs face modest financial challenges that can be addressed by Congress with minor changes. The Senior Citizens League supports the passage of legislation like the Social Security 2100 Act or the Social Security Expansion Act, both of which would strengthen the Social Security program's finances responsibly, without cutting benefits for current or future retirees. In addition, we hope Congress will pass legislation to bring down prescription drug costs in the Medicare program. Requiring Part D drug price negotiation would save billions of dollars for both the federal government and Medicare beneficiaries.