What happens when Congress waits too long to address a Social Security funding crisis? Deeper benefit cuts, sudden tax increases, and glitches in the implementation of reforms that can lead to significant benefit inequities between people close to each other in age. Consider the case of the Social Security Notch that led to the most significant benefit inequities in the history of the program. The Notch affects seniors born from 1917 through 1926 and other seniors having similar work histories and earnings. .In 2015, after a national coalition of senior advocacy groups (including TSCL) demanded action, Congress reduced the increase in Part B premiums from 9.30 per month to 1.80 per month, which was still a very high increase of 16.1 percent. The premium included a "repayment" amount that was added to monthly premiums of all beneficiaries in future years to recover the cost of the reduced premium rate in 2016 over time. .TSCL supports allowing any veteran to get the Covid vaccine at the VA and we will keep an eye on the progress of this effort. .In addition to funding the government, the 2,000-page deal will renew health benefits for 9/11 responders, lift a ban on the exportation of crude oil that has been around for nearly fifty years, and delay two Obamacare taxes for two additional years – one tax on medical devices and one tax on high-cost "Cadillac" healthcare plans. As a part of the deal, leaders in Congress also agreed to make permanent a number of tax breaks that have been subject to frequent renewals for decades. .For details, or to see if your Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings during the summer recess, call their local offices. You can find contact information HERE. For a list of ten sample town hall questions, click HERE. .We will keep a close eye on the evolving discussions in the months ahead, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. .Notification dates: Because you started working and received about 6 months of Social Security payments prior to your notification of Social Security, these payments may not have been properly accounted for in your withholdings and may form a substantial portion of the overpayment. It's very important to notify Social Security, either in advance or immediately, if you work. .At the same time, prices for generic drugs were slightly lower in the U.S. than in most other nations. Specifically, the U.S. spent an average of When asked how Congress should address the lack of coverage, 79 percent of poll respondents said Medicare coverage should be expanded, while 14 percent said private Medicare Advantage plans that sometimes cover more of these services should be better promoted. Only 7 percent of respondents said Medicare's coverage of dental, vision, and hearing services should remain unchanged. .Here's a closer look at the Medicare proposals: .To learn more about President Obama's Executive Action On Immigration, see TSCL's F.A.Q.: "What Does "Executive Action" On Immigration Have To Do With Social Security and Medicare?" .Social Security Benefit Cuts Need to be Stopped .The implication that older Americans don't need their Social Security and Medicare benefits, and that seniors are demanding theirs at the expense of the young, is a nasty tactic that's not supported by the facts. According to the Social Security Administration, 50 percent of people age 65 and older have a total income of ,857 —hardly rolling in dough. Yet, those same seniors spend an average of 15 percent of their incomes on healthcare costs — a portion that is rapidly growing. .If you are interested in helping TSCL make the most of the 113th Congress, give us a call at 800-333-TSCL to help us start a local chapter or plan a town hall meeting in your area. .Congressmember Karen Bass is serving her sixth term in Congress. She represents Culver City and parts of Los Angeles. .This week, lawmakers remained in their home states and districts for the two-week spring recess. .But according to TSCL studies, Medicare Part B premiums are one of the single fastest - rising senior costs. Data from TSCL's annual survey of senior costs indicate that with next year's Part B increase, premiums will be 168% higher than 2000, rising on average 10.5% per year, even though there was no increase at all over the past two years. Part D premiums have grown roughly 60% since the program started in 2006, averaging about 6% per year. .84 cents for a generic that would have cost an average of elsewhere, according to the report from RAND Corporation, a nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization. .But this doesn't necessarily mean that the rising Part B premium would reduce an individual's net Social Security benefits next year. Due to a special provision of law known as the Social Security "hold harmless" provision, the Medicare Part B premium is adjusted to prevent an overall reduction in Social Security benefits from December of the previous year. The provision only applies to about 70% of all Medicare beneficiaries, however, and does not protect people whose overall income is so low that their Medicare Part B premium is paid by state Medicaid programs, and individuals with incomes above ,000 or married couples with incomes above 5,000.