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"The bottom line is that Medicare Part B premiums rise several times faster than COLAs, and those premiums are now high enough to cause the net Social Security benefits of millions of people to remain flat for years at a time," Johnson says. "We are at the point where this is affecting far more people than anyone ever anticipated, and it's a red flag that Medicare premiums are increasing too fast, while Social Security benefits are not adequately keeping pace," she explains..The rapid growth in Medicare Part B costs is consuming an increasing share of beneficiaries' income. What proposals do you support to slow the growth in the out-of-pocket costs?.CPI Data Through August 2012, Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 14, 201Social Security Monthly Statistical Snapshot, Social Security Administration, July, 2012..Will the program ban payment of benefits based on unauthorized earnings by undocumented immigrants under invalid Social Security Numbers?.While the CDC recommends that younger people can start getting the seasonal flu vaccine starting in August, it recommends seniors wait until at least September to get theirs. But everyone should have one by the end of October..Following the blueprint's release, Sen. Bernard Sanders ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee voiced his concerns, saying: "This budget gives huge tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires while making devastating cuts to education, Medicare, affordable housing, prescription drug coverage, and many other vital investments for the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor … This budget is the Robin Hood principle in reverse. It takes from the poor to give to the rich.".The federal government negotiates prescription drug prices for Medicaid enrollees and for veterans, but it is not allowed to negotiate lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. Do you support this policy?.I'm diabetic and get my blood testing supplies via mail order. When I called to order my next shipment I was told I would have to pay the full cost of supplies and my credit card was charged. I thought Medicare covered the cost..An insurance industry source said Congress' deliberations are "freaking out" companies who worry that seniors will drop their private plans en masse and migrate to traditional Medicare once the new benefits are in place. But the source said the industry is mindful of the optics of publicly opposing coverage of eyeglasses, dental care and hearing aids, and is largely lobbying behind the scenes.