Catch up in minutes with your daily briefing on the Social Security, Medicare & Retirement news that affects you most.
| What to Know for Tuesday, February 17, 2026: | 1: Senators call for fix to Social Security Fairness Act payment flaw |  | (Image credit: Getty Images) |
| What happened: The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025, eliminating provisions that reduced benefits for 2.8 million public servants like teachers, firefighters and police officers. The problem: New applicants are only receiving 6 months of retroactive payments instead of the full 12 months the law promises, potentially costing them thousands in lump-sum benefits. What senators want: Bill Cassidy, John Cornyn and John Fetterman are pushing the Social Security Administration to provide the full one-year retroactive payment to all eligible beneficiaries, regardless of when they applied.
| ➜ Read the full story from CNBC here. | | 2: Healthcare costs are eating into Social Security checks | The squeeze: Out-of-pocket healthcare expenses consume roughly a third of a typical retiree's Social Security income, with the average monthly benefit at $2,071 in January 2026. Getting worse: Medical inflation is projected to climb at 5.8% — more than double the 2.4% rate of Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, meaning healthcare will take an even bigger bite over time. Medicare Advantage trap: While these plans often have no premiums early in retirement, out-of-pocket costs can be higher when you actually need care due to pre-authorization requirements and network restrictions compared to traditional Medicare.
| | ➜ Read the full story from Yahoo Finance here. | | | 3: Miller-Meeks introduces bill to make Social Security tax deduction permanent |  | Source: Mariannette Miller-Meeks Government Website |
| What it does: The Permanent Tax Relief for Seniors Act would eliminate the 2028 expiration date on the $6,000 Social Security tax deduction for individuals over 65 ($12,000 for married couples filing jointly). Who benefits: Over 88% of Social Security recipients will no longer pay federal taxes on their benefits due to this provision when combined with the standard deduction and existing seniors tax credit. Why it matters now: The deduction was part of the Working Families Tax Cuts enacted in 2025, but it's currently set to expire in 2028 unless Congress acts to make it permanent.
| ➜ Read the full story from Miller Meeks here. | | Here's What You Missed on YouTube: | Check out our new YouTube videos for Tuesday, February 17th. | Best 25 Senior Discounts for 2026 |  | Don't Miss These 25 Senior Discounts in 2026 (Most People Never Use Them) |
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| SSA Overpayment Letter? Do This Before Day 60 |  | Got an SSA Overpayment Letter? Do THIS Before Day 60 |
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