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If signed into law, the Social Security Fairness Act would amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision..Nonetheless, TSCL will not let the Senate forget that the need to pass legislation to help bring down the prices of prescription drugs must not be set aside because of the coronavirus threat. Many, many seniors are at risk because they can't afford the drugs they need, and the situation must be dealt with now..Finally, the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act gained one new cosponsor in Senator Claire McCaskill, who brings the new cosponsor total to three. If signed into law, S. 1600 would base the Social Security COLA on the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. The bill would also ensure that high income earners pay their fair share of taxes into Social Security..The inflation index that is currently used the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners fails to capture the inflation seniors experience because items like gasoline and electronics are given more weight than medical costs, prescription drugs, and housing expenses..Key Bill Gains Critical Support.This week, Congressman John Garamendi introduced legislation that would base Social Security cost-of-living adjustments on a more accurate measure of inflation. In addition, The Senior Citizens League announced its support for a bill that would make the Social Security program more equitable for public servants..On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee met with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Government Accountability Office to discuss the removal of Social Security numbers from Medicare cards. According to Subcommittee Chairman Wally Herger, more than one million seniors have been victims of identity theft in the past year, largely because the Medicare cards they are encouraged to carry everyday contain sensitive information..According to the study, the 250 top selling drugs, each with one manufacturer and no competitive products on the market, account for 60% of net total Medicare Part D spending. The top 50 selling drugs, also with one manufacturer each and no competitors, account for 80% of total Medicare Part B spending..Nationwide, nearly 1.5 million people are affected by the WEP, meaning that those who receive a public pension from a job, and are not covered by Social Security, see their benefits reduced. For example, a teacher who spends summers working a second job, or a first responder who leaves the force after years of service, but is not yet ready to retire, can see his or her benefits reduced by up to 40 percent.