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The new drug's availability expands the choices that patients and physicians have for treating the chronic, metabolic illness diabetes. The new product potentially reduces the cost of treatment for patients as they navigate different options..The study's findings illustrate the impact on the buying power of Social Security benefits when the economy goes from a period of extremely low inflation to more typical rates of inflation. The last time there was a loss this big was in 2011, another year similar to 2017, when there was no COLA, but inflation spiked. The following year, in 2012, Social Security benefits increased by 3.6%. And like 2012, a higher COLA is likely in 2018..You may not be able to get your Medigap plan back: Under federal law you are only guaranteed the right to purchase a Medigap plan during your initial enrollment period. If you drop your Medigap plan and later want to get it back you must do so within a year of trying an MA plan. After that, an insurer may deny coverage or impose 6 - month waiting periods for pre-existing conditions..Low-income seniors, including about one-quarter of all Notch Babies, may be feeling the effects of the expiration of federal stimulus funding for Medicaid that ended recently. The recession drove up Medicaid enrollment sharply, but the federal government stepped in with extra funding to help states cover the costs. Increased enrollment and decreased funding have led states to eliminate some benefits and increase the co-payments they charge..Shuffling doctors can heighten the risk of mishaps. A study of at least 2,200 older adults published in 2016 found that nearly 4 in 10 were taking at least five medications at the same time. Fifteen percent of them were at risk of drug-to-drug interaction..Last year the Government Accountability Office in a report to Congress defined "notches" as "unduly large incremental reductions." In addition, the GAO further said "Notches create marked inequities between beneficiaries close in age to each other.".Congress Adjourns for Summer Recess.Half of the medications that saw price hikes followed price increases in 2019 and 2020, according to the report..TSCL Expects COLA Will Be About 1.4%

Blog Legislative Summit 6

"The current relationship between many doctors and drug companies is a conflict of interest," McCaskill says. "It's leaving the best interest of patients behind, and we have to do something to fix it.".Your doctor signs a home health care certification, confirming that you are homebound and need intermittent skilled care. The certification also must state that your doctor as approved a plan of care for you and that the face to face meeting requirement was met..On Monday, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees reported on the financial standing of both programs. According to the six Trustees, Social Security and Medicare are worse off than they were just one year ago. Social Security's combined OASDI Trust Funds will reach exhaustion in 2033, three years earlier than last year's report projected. Medicare's Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will face insolvency in 2024, the same date that was projected last year. However, the program's actual costs are expected to exceed estimates since the Trustees could not account for the costly "doc fix," which Congress will likely vote for at the end of this year. … Continued

Blog Civil And Criminal Justice 3

American consumers have waited too long for Congress to finally make bipartisan progress on lowering prescription drug costs. At a time of rampant hyper-partisanship on Capitol Hill, I've seen glimmers of hope for how lawmakers from across the political spectrum can unite on this issue. We can't stop pushing for lower prices, because our nation's seniors deserve that level of respect, commitment, and urgency..Lawmakers Remain in Recess.Members of Congress may lose an election but unlike other Americans, they never lose their retirement and health benefits. A Member of the House or Senate who retires at age 60 after just 12 years in office will receive a Congressional pension of ,000 a year and lifetime benefits that could total more than 0,000.Notch Bulletin: How Long Have Notch Babies Been Underpaid? I was born during the Notch period. I would like to know how long Notch Babies have been underpaid. In addition could you tell me if the underpayment has been corrected and if we are receiving the right amount now? - M.R. Fort Cobb, OK … Continued