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It's also a common tendency to overestimate how much you will get from Social Security, according to a survey by the Nationwide Retirement Institute. About 30% of future retirees in the survey anticipated collecting more than they are likely to receive, saying they expected to get ,628 per month in Social Security benefits on average, but current retirees are receiving an average of ,257 per month. That gap is significant because 55% of those surveyed said that Social Security benefits would be their main source of income in retirement..COLAs are calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners. This simply does not make sense for seniors. This method of calculation considers spending habits of younger workers who are more likely to spend their dollars on electronic devices and consumer goods. Seniors are more likely to spend money on medical services and housing expenses. The prices of these items rise significantly higher than what the CPI-W calculates..A number of innovative alternatives to the SGR exist those outlined above are three among more than a dozen. Because the options are so varied, TSCL believes that testing and evaluating different models will be a critical step in the process. A bill recently introduced by Rep. Allyson Schwartz the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act would do just that, and we look forward to partnering with her in the coming months to resolve the physician payment fiasco once and for all..According to a recent nation-wide survey conducted by The Senior Citizens League, almost one-third of older taxpayers, 30 percent, say they itemize deductions for healthcare costs, and about 56 percent say that a portion of their Social Security benefits are taxable. "Taxpayers who may be postponing needed medical or dental services, getting glasses, or filling expensive prescriptions may want to consider doing so before the end of the year, in order to maximum the medical expense deduction in 2018," Johnson says..benefits. We're living longer, and Social Security benefits alone, even with.It's important for the public to understand how the bill would increase costs and affect access to health care. The May 4th House vote took place less than 24 hours after the revised bill was posted, and without the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the new bill. "Meaning that House GOP Members voted without having adequate time to review the bill, knowing the full cost of the legislation or how the new changes in the bill would impact coverage for their own constituents," Johnson points out. "The public has a right to know that information prior to our elected lawmakers enacting legislation.".Costs not covered by Medicare such as dental, vision and audio care..This week, Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts for the week-long holiday recess. In the days ahead, many will be hosting town hall meetings to discuss important legislative issues with constituents.."The 6.7 percent increase in the Part B premium is the largest since 2006 for a year in which a COLA is payable," Johnson says. There have been bigger jumps in Part B premiums as recently as 2016 and 2017, but those were two years in which there was no or almost no COLA paid. This situation can cause unusually high Part B premium spikes.