dr. kingson on that. doctor, when i'm back in vermont, many seniors come up to me, or they telephone our office and they say, we don't understand how the government concludes there has been no inflation in the last two years, that we're not getting any coe los angeles we haven't gotten any cola in the last two years, when we are paying more for healthcare costs, we're paying more for prescription drugs, more money is coming out of our pockets. are those seniors in vermont and around the country wrong or are their perceptions correct, and if you are a senior in america today, you are paying mow out of pocket than you used to? >> those perceptions are correct. the cola was not given, as you know, senator, in the last two years as a matter of law. it wasn't a decision by the president or congress. it was a function of a spike in the cost of living around 2008 when the oil crisis spiked. it resulted in a very large cola. the 5.8%. and since then prices went down. they did not -- a cola was not given, and for

dr. kingson. our second witness is gail.he's a vermont resident who lives in a very rural part of northeastern vermont, and what she's talking about are some of the struggles that she's had over the years which i think reflect the struggles that millions of people her age had, and she's also going to talk about the benefits that a older americans act program called ccep has had in turning her life around. ms. ruggles, thank you for being with us. >> good morning, and thank you for inviting me to testify. it's an important issue to me too. i'm gail ruggles, 61 years old, the administrative assistant for a growing research and development firm in northeast vermont. for the first time in many, many years, i'm beginning to people economically self-sufficient. three years ago, it was a different story. i was gainfully employed since 16 years old in lower level jobs. when i turned 50, i was divorce the, raising a 5th and 7th grader on my own, and i wanted to be a better role model for them. i met with a financial aid rep at the co

dr. kingson on that. doctor, when i'm back in vermont, many seniors come up to me, or they telephone our office and they say, we don't understand how the government concludes there has been no inflation in the last two years, that we're not getting any coe los angeles we haven't gotten any cola in the last two years, when we are paying more for healthcare costs, we're paying more for prescription drugs, more money is coming out of our pockets. are those seniors in vermont and around the country wrong or are their perceptions correct, and if you are a senior in america today, you are paying mow out of pocket than you used to? >> those perceptions are correct. the cola was not given, as you know, senator, in the last two years as a matter of law. it wasn't a decision by the president or congress. it was a function of a spike in the cost of living around 2008 when the oil crisis spiked. it resulted in a very large cola. the 5.8%. and since then prices went down. they did not -- a cola was not given, and for