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Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) announced his support for legislation to protect senior citizens from an anticipated Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) freeze and an associated Medicare Part B premium increase.
“In this difficult economy seniors are struggling and another hit to health care or basic cost of living expenses would be completely devastating,” said Higgins. “This legislation would provide older Western New Yorkers living on a tight fixed income with the relief they need and deserve.”
The annual Cost of Living Adjustment for Social Security recipients is tied to the consumer price index. Since energy prices have fallen over the past year, the consumer price index has gone down triggering no cost of living adjustment for 2010. This is the first time since mandatory benefit updates were established in the early 1980s that senior would see no COLA.
Congressman Higgins is cosponsoring H.R. 3536, the Social Security COLA Fix Act. Under the bill, Social Security recipients would receive a one-time $150 addition to their Social Security check to compensate for the COLA freeze.
Higgins and other colleagues in the House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee are cosponsoring the Medicare Premium Fairness Act, introduced today (September 23). When there is no Social Security COLA there is no Medicare Part B premium increase for 73% of seniors. However under the formula, about 27% of Part B enrollees would see an increase. Under the Medicare Premium Fairness Act all Medicare recipients would be held harmless, keeping premiums the same from 2009 to 2010.
The Congressman is pushing for swift action on the two bills and is optimistic the Medicare Premium Fairness Act could be considered by the House of Representatives as soon as this week. Approximately 146,000 residents in Congressman Higgins district receive Social Security.
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