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A Salute: How Social Security Aids Veterans

Nov 16, 2023

On November 11 we’ll commemorate Veterans Day and Social Security has chosen to remind us of the role it can play in aiding veterans with disabilities. Those who served in the military and who now have a disability are entitled to VA (Veterans Affairs) Disability...

2024 Medicare Premiums and Deductibles Are Out!

Nov 8, 2023

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the 2024 Medicare premium and deductible costs. In a disappointing reversal of last year's drop in costs, there's a $9.80 increase in the standard part B premium, which will send it bouncing...

QR Barging: SSA’s New Mobile Check-In Express

Oct 27, 2023

In another move to seemingly keep with the times Social Security has introduced a new Mobile Check-in Express feature. The set- up purports to ease the check in process for anyone visiting an SSA office, although it remains unclear to this reader of the promotional...

Shifting Gear: Maryland’s Durable Medical Equipment Re-use Program

Oct 20, 2023

One of the ways the Maryland Department of Aging has been working to provide assistance to Marylanders with disabilities is the, perhaps under-advertised, Durable Medical Equipment Re-use (DME) program. As the name suggests, it is looking to help local residents...

SSA 2024 COLA Figures Are Out!

Oct 12, 2023

2024's Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has been published as planned. As many had predicted, compared to last year’s staggering 8.7% increase, it’s a rather more modest 3.2%. In terms of how that looks to SSI recipients, it means that the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR)...

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SNAP Tackles Pop: States Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Soda and Candy

There have always been restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps, now dubbed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a godsend to sub-editors everywhere). The simple, if perhaps occasionally dubious, pleasures that alcoholic beverages provide...

2026’s 1619(b) Thresholds Are Out!

Unlike many annual changes in the benefits world, which are announced on a fairly rigid schedule, recent history has shown that we can never quite be sure when the new thresholds for 1619(b) are going to be announced. Fortunately, this year there hasn’t been much of a...

Health Check: Changes to Medicaid in Maryland

The new year is an obvious time to make changes if that’s what you’re going to do and it might seem that if things are going to be different for Medicaid beneficiaries now would be the time to learn what’s new. Oddly enough, even though there are changes afoot,...

What’s New? Update on 2026 Benefits Changes

Now that we have to admit that the holidays are truly over and we're embedded in the new year, for better or for worse, it's worth having a quick look over the new annual figures that will affect those of us who receive federal benefits. By now everyone who receives...

Happy Holidays from MDBCN to You!

Another year comes to another close and although we can hardly look back on 12 months of love, peace, and harmony we can always hope for that in the future. Whatever may come to pass, we at the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network will continue to endeavor to keep you...

Getting Better: ABLE Changes for 2026

Back in 2022 Congress passed a bill that is about to go into effect. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act decreed that as of January 2026 the age threshold for Achieving Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts would increase from 26 to 46. The ABLE Act has been around for more...

A Bitter Pill: Medicare Costs in 2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the 2026 premium and deductible figures. It’s a familiar story, as those costs are up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will raise eyebrows and blood pressure as it increases by $17.90 a...

From the Horse’s Mouth: SSA Commissioner Delivers 2025 Fiscal Report

Gues what? It’s all good. On November 20 Frank Bisignano, Social Security’s Commissioner, published his letter to Congress detailing the agency’s achievements in 2025. The letter, which you can read in full here (Commissioner Letter to Congress: Year in Review) begins...

SNAP’s Back: Federal Food Stamp Payments to Resume

After the longest shutdown in its 249-year history the US government officially re-opened on Wednesday when its president signed a bill allowing funding until January 30 next year. While this would certainly appear to be only a temporary easing of the situation it...

Forking Out: SNAP Updates and Maryland’s Response

It is now widely known that it is forty-two million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, still also known as food stamps. They remain at the mercy of a government, which has remained shut down for thirty-seven days at the time of writing, and shows no sign of opening...