If Congress fails to prevent a default on the federal debt, older Americans will be impacted in two major ways. First, Social Security benefits would be delayed, and millions of seniors living on fixed incomes would suffer financially. Second, health plans that cover Medicare beneficiaries and providers who treat Medicare patients would likely see postponements in their reimbursements from the federal government. Access to quality medical care could become more difficult for older Americans if that occurs..I decide I better put them back on my computer desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers..A government shut down, while causing some problems, isn't as bad as breaching the debt ceiling. That's known as a "technical default," as some government obligations won't be met on time depending on how long the stalemate lasts. The Treasury Department would have to rely on whatever cash is left on hand and daily revenue inflows..New Congress Convenes.If you or someone you know is struggling to make their Social Security benefits stretch from one month to another, there are two Medicare programs that can help with medical costs for those eligible - Medicare Savings Programs which cover some Part B costs, and Medicare Extra Help which provides help with prescription costs..The last time no COLA was payable, was in 201The Medicare Trustees had estimated Part B premiums would increase by an unprecedented 52%. Congress enacted legislation that limited the premium increase to 16%, but also required a per month "repayment" to make up the difference in subsequent years. After deduction for Part B premiums, roughly half of all beneficiaries saw no growth in their net Social Security benefits from 2016 until 2019, when there was a 2.8% COLA, according to TSCL's annual surveys..High premiums don't necessarily purchase better coverage. The generic blood pressure medication, Lisinopril, is one of the most commonly used prescriptions by Medicare beneficiaries. The least expensive Part D plan charges Yes, unfortunately this is correct. Under current law Social Security benefits are not payable for the month in which a beneficiary dies. This is so even when the beneficiary, like your husband, passes away on the last day of the month. However, according to the Social Security Administration the check that an individual receives in a given month is the payment for the preceding month. That means the check that your husband received during the month of March was his benefit for February, which you would be entitled to keep. It is the March payment that you would have received in April, and any thereafter that must be returned..If you start Social Security benefits too soon, prior to your full retirement age, your benefits may be withheld by as much as ,373.30 due to the earnings test. That's because no matter when you receive your wages in 2017, Social Security will assume that the full ,000 of your 2017 earnings occurred prior to November. Your earnings in excess of the ,880 would be ,000, less ,880 or ,120. Social Security will withhold in benefits for every in excess earnings. The ,120 is divided by 3 and ,373.30 will be withheld from your benefits starting the beginning of the following year..This week, The Senior Citizens League was pleased to see support grow for three key bills that would improve the Social Security and Medicare programs..physical or mental condition at some point that will cause them to need help.The CPI-E tends to grow about 0.25 percentage point more quickly than the CPI-W on average, but there can be wide differences between the two. For example, if the CPI-E were used to calculate the COLA it would be 1.2% in 2020, vs. 0.5% based on CPI-W data through March 201We had similar situation in 2016 and 2017 when the COLA was zero and 0.3%, respectively. The CPI-E would have yielded 0.6% instead of zero, and 1.5% instead of 0.3%. Those are not big differences, but like interest, compound over time. For anyone depending on Social Security for half of their income or more, every dollar makes a difference - and adding up over time may be enough to buy an extra week's worth of groceries..This week, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill and two committees held hearings to discuss the opioid epidemic. In addition, The Senior Citizens League saw support grow for several key bills..When food and other important costs rise faster than the Social Security COLA, that means that retirees aren't able to purchase as much with their benefits. This can lead to older consumers going without essentials. Research by Johnson has found that Social Security benefits have lost 30% of buying power since 2000. "We encourage everyone to consider who you may know that might need help with food costs," Johnson says "Perhaps you can drop off a few groceries, or share your next batch of home - made soups, chili, or stews with others you know," Johnson adds. "Mercifully, this list of prices will likely change in time, especially as we get COVID-19 under control and people return to work," Johnson says..EconomicCheckUp® is free and developed by the trusted nonprofit National Council on Aging. The tool asks a series of questions to identify benefits and services that could help you cut expenses and better utilize your existing assets. Give it a test run here: EconomicCheckUp®..Deductibles: This is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. Most people get CT scans as outpatients under Medicare Part B, which has a deductible of 3 in 2021, meaning you might be responsible for that amount. If your scan is part of a hospital stay as an inpatient, it would bill under Part A which has a deductible of ,48Because you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, your deductible amounts can vary from the standard Medicare amount. It's a good idea to call your health plan before getting any services, to get an idea about the cost. For people covered by a Medigap supplement, it will cover the Part A deductibles but, as of January 2020, insurers are no longer allowed to sell plans that cover the Part B deductible, Plans C and Plan F to new enrollees. copay for the drug, and the plan's monthly premium is just .50 in the zip code used in the analysis. The most expensive plan charges a co-pay of .19, and the plan has a monthly premium of .30. Counting premiums, that's a difference of ,055.88 for the entire year..A stronger nation is a nation where Social Security and Medicare are there for your children and grandchildren. It means a nation where we keep our promises and innovate for the future. For those of you 55 and over, the programs you paid into, planned on, and live with, will be there for you no changes. But for those under 55, hard choices must be made. As the debate continues about how best to preserve these programs, I wanted to reassure you all that nothing I ever vote on or support, will change the benefits and promises you earned period.."Dying With Debt: The Hidden Financial Crisis," Steve Yoder, The Fiscal Times, June 12, 2013
