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The letter was written in response to recent comments from Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who told reporters last week that he has been "actively discussing potential executive or administrative solutions" to the prescription drug issue with President Trump. The group of Senators said, "We write to express our support for such efforts that could provide immediate relief to Americans.".Senate Fails to Advance Health Reform Legislation."Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health care professionals will reportedly spend less time filling out paperwork and more time focusing on delivering the best care for patients," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius..According to the lobbying arm of the major drug companies, in 2018, nearly half of the money spent on brand medicines went to some business other than the research companies that discover and manufacture medicines..The big difference between the CPI-W used to calculate your COLA, and the CPI-E, is the weight or portion of income that the Bureau of Labor Statistics gives to each category. While seniors occasionally benefit from the heavier weighting of transportation costs and food costs under the CPI-W when food and gasoline prices spike, in the majority of years they fall behind due to the lower weighting of medical care..Sudden price spikes in older drugs are putting patients at risk of going without vital medicine. A new report by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging uncovered an insidious business model that's leading to monopoly pricing power and astronomical price increases..I'm diabetic and get my blood testing supplies via mail order. When I called to order my next shipment I was told I would have to pay the full cost of supplies and my credit card was charged. I thought Medicare covered the cost.."Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers Americans over 65, is facing an impossible dilemmShould it cover a new and expensive medication for Alzheimer's disease, which afflicts 6 million Americans and for which there is no existing treatment, even though the drug might not actually work?".Every day, thousands of our neighbors and friends protect our cities, educate our students, and deliver vital services to our communities. While these selfless public servants have spent their lives giving back, our antiquated federal policies take away the benefits that these workers have rightly earned.