If the federal debt continues to grow at current rates, it is on track to be almost twice the size of the U.S. economy by 2037, driven largely by entitlement spending on baby boomers, a new analysis projects.
April 25, 2012
Monday was a remarkable day, even by Washington spinmeister standards. In fact, we here at McKnight's had to look two times — nay, three — to make sure we had seen correctly.
April 23, 2012
The Affordable Care Act will help Medicare save over $200 billion through 2016, according to government actuaries. But questions as to Medicare's long-term solvency remain, another report from Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees states.
March 26, 2012
It's becoming increasingly obvious that our elected leaders need to quit playing political chicken. Otherwise, there are going to be some bleak days ahead for We the People.
Senior citizens who receive Social Security benefits cannot opt out of Medicare and rely solely on private insurance, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
A group of researchers has developed a more accurate way of calculating mortality rates of the oldest Americans, which might lead to more realistic cost projections for Social Security and Medicare.
The House passed a bill (H.R. 2576) last week that would count Social Security as income in determining eligibility for Medicaid and federal subsidies for health insurance exchanges, starting in 2014.
October 07, 2011
Patrick Henry once said, "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government — lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." Wow, how timely.
July 27, 2011
As federal deficit-reduction talks continue, lawmakers from both sides are proposing legislation to tighten Medicaid eligibility rules. The legislators' collective goal is to trim program outlays by more than $13 billion. Not surprisingly, many providers are expressing concern over possible reductions in their largest funding source.
May 16, 2011
The annual Medicare Trustees report found that under current conditions, the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund will be exhausted by 2024, largely due to the bad economy. The same report, which was released Friday, projected that the Social Security trust fund also will be depleted by 2036, a year sooner than what was predicted last year.
Sixty-five percent of Americans know that long-term care planning is an important, cost-saving action. But only 44% of them have started taking any steps to prepare for unanticipated costs, according to a new consumer study from Lincoln Financial.
May 20, 2010
Medicare increasingly will become more expensive, and eventually surpass the cost of Social Security, according to a new report from the boards of trustees for Medicare and Social Security.
April 12, 2010
An Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) established under the healthcare reform act will help to ensure the nation's future fiscal health, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag said Thursday.
April 09, 2010
The growing deficit could force the federal government to raise taxes or change entitlement programs, such as Medicare and Social Security, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said this week.
The growing number of Americans who decide to delay retirement could take some of the financial burden off the two programs, an analysis by a research organization finds.
Publication of the annual report detailing the financial health of the Medicare and Social Security programs will be three months later than usual to determine the effect of the healthcare reform law on those programs, according to news reports.
State and federal lawmakers should find a way to legally recognize same-sex elderly couples to extend social supports, financial security and healthcare benefits to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors, a new report contends.
By 2050, Americans could be living three to eight years longer than current government projections. That could result in significantly higher costs to Social Security and Medicare, a new study released Monday reveals.
A measure that would prevent a cut to Social Security payments failed in the Senate. As a result, rising Medicare Part B premiums are expected to adversely affect 27% of Medicare beneficiaries.
