Last summer's draught killed crops in almost 80% of the continental U.S. Higher wheat, corn and soybean prices are showing up in grocery receipts. Senior couples can expect higher food costs to add about 0 and more to their food bill this year..The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that older households spend more than 46% of annual household budgets on housing. That includes not only a mortgage, but also real estate taxes, homeowners' insurance, maintenance and repairs, appliances and home furnishings, heating and cooling, electricity, water, and gas. Many older homeowners often pay for landscaping and housekeeping services as well..Government economists not only changed the math, they changed the underlying concept of the consumer price index itself. While the CPI formerly measured price changes of a fixed market basket of items from one period to the next, today the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses formulas more consistent with a theoretical cost-of-living concept. And because it is theoretical, it uses estimates and produces data that is subject to two revisions..According to the Center for Disease Control, it has been recognized for many years that people 65 years and older are at high risk of developing serious complications from flu compared with young, healthy adults. This risk is due in part to changes in immune defenses with increasing age. While flu seasons vary in severity, during most seasons, people 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of severe flu disease. In recent years, for example, it is estimated that between 70 percent and 85 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older, and between 50 percent and 70 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in this age group..On Wednesday, the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee met to discuss reform of the Medicare physician payment system with a panel of five experts. The hearing, entitled "Using Innovation to Reform Medicare Physician Payment," focused on ideas from the private sector..By Jarrad Hensley, TSCL Legislative Assistant.You have a face-to-face meeting with a doctor within 90 days before starting home healthcare, or 30 days after the first day you receive care..The 30 percent who are not protected by hold harmless include:.In 2015, the monthly Medicare Part B premium for people with incomes less than ,000 was 4.90. When the Social Security Administration announced that there would be no COLA in 2016, Barbara - like 70 percent of all other Social Security recipients - was protected from reductions in her Social Security benefits by a provision of law known as "hold harmless." Barbara's Medicare Part B premium stayed the same, at 4.90, even though Medicare Part B premiums that year rose to 1.80 for people like new enrollees who were not protected by hold harmless.

State Indicator Unemployment Claims

TSCL is happy to announce that one key piece of legislation gained support in the House of Representatives this week. The Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act gained a new cosponsor in Representative Pete Visclosky, bringing the total up to twenty. If signed into law, H.R. 1776 would require the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries, allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada, accelerate the closing of the Part D "doughnut hole," and cap monthly prescription drug expenses at 0, among other things..TSCL enthusiastically supports the Social Security Fraud Prevention Act, and we look forward to working with Congressman Valadao to build support for it in the months ahead..Replace windows and roofs only when necessary. Windows and roofs are expensive and no fun for older homeowners to replace. While homebuyers expect roofs and windows to be in good condition, replacing them may not dramatically boost the resale value of your home. Get the opinion of your real estate agent. … Continued

Womens Health Policy Report Obgyns And The Provision Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Care Key Findings From A National Survey

early 60s. If you wait much longer, you may not pass the required physical and.A growing number of workers expect to rely heavily on Social Security for most of their income, but three-quarters of current retirees are receiving reduced benefits. The retirement age is gradually rising to 67 and, by taking benefits when first eligible at age 62, beneficiaries settle for permanently reduced benefits. Delaying benefits until "full retirement age" or thereafter is the best way to maximize benefits. For example at full retirement age retirees due a monthly benefit of ,000 would receive only 0 at age 62 if they took it. Individuals who can continue to work and delay retirement until 70 can receive a benefit ,320 instead. But even the individuals who wait until age 70 to allow benefits to grow to their maximum, would still be living close to the federal poverty level if Social Security is their only income..This week, Members of Congress continued working on a .1 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government past December 11th. Lawmakers in the Senate passed a five-day continuing resolution on Thursday afternoon to buy more time for the negotiations. At the time of writing this week's update, those in the House had not yet passed the stopgap funding bill, but they are expected to overwhelmingly vote in its favor before midnight on December 11th, and President Obama has already said he will sign the short-term fix into law. … Continued

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