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What we hope is that we will spur you to take action and make a difference in helping us protect, preserve, and improve the programs you depend so much on: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid..The largest amounts of money come from corporate and special interest groups who want certain legislation passed or stopped..Retirees are rightfully anxious about financing healthcare in retirement. Some retirement experts estimate that a 65 - year - old couple who retired in 2016 would need 0,000 for medical expenses throughout retirement and 0,000 if you include the costs of long-term care..Heating and cooling: According to TSCL's Annual Survey of senior costs, residential fuel oil has been the fastest rising expense for more than a decade. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a 250-gallon delivery of home heating oil this season may cost more than With the average monthly Social Security payment around ,100, that's a cost few seniors can afford and still have something left over for groceries. Take time to survey suppliers in your area and compare costs. Do ask for a senior citizen discount and learn the supplier's payment options. Financing your heating fuel through the supplier may give you smaller, more manageable payments, but you will pay financing fees and interest. With interest so low on savings, it sometimes makes sense to pay in full when you can to save financing charges..Perhaps the most ambitious effort on behalf of the Obama administration to fight Medicare fraud, abuse, and wasteful spending is the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The program will use networks of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers that form a partnership to provide increased accountability toward savings. MSSP is administered by CMS and will aim to bring together in partnerships up to 270 physicians, specialists, hospitals, and long-term care facilities across the country to participate in the program. If effective, the program will reduce healthcare costs by eliminating wasteful and inefficient practices that could save Medicare an estimated 0 million over the next four years..During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington's Birthday be renamed Presidents' Day to honor the birthdays of both Washington and Lincoln ; although Lincoln's birthday was celebrated in many states, it was never an official federal holiday. Following much discussion, Congress rejected the name change. After the bill went into effect in 1971, however, Presidents' Day became the commonly accepted name, due in part to retailers' use of that name to promote sales and the holiday's proximity to Lincoln's birthday. Presidents' Day is usually marked by public ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and throughout the country..View TSCL's entire plan for fixing the Social Security Disability Insurance program..Check with your Medicare health plan, supplement, or other insurance - like coverage through an employer. Often your insurer can tell you why a bill has been denied, and, more importantly, what you need to do to get the bill paid..He said it is still possible that legislation regarding those issues could be passed, but not very likely. He said he was afraid they would be caught up in the elections and be used as campaign issues rather than being seriously considered for passage. That means that if any action is taken it will probably not be until later in November or even December, depending on how late in the year Congress works.