Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates pushed closer due to rising health care costs, new SSA law

essentialsaltes · Jun 19, 2025

Medicare insolvency moves from 2036 to 2033. Social Security from 2035 to 2034.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the popular public benefit program said in a statement that “there are two options for action: Bringing more money into Social Security, or reducing benefits."

BCP1928 · Jun 19, 2025

essentialsaltes said:
Medicare insolvency moves from 2036 to 2033. Social Security from 2035 to 2034.

Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the popular public benefit program said in a statement that “there are two options for action: Bringing more money into Social Security, or reducing benefits."

Well, we can be reasonably sure of which option the Trump administration will choose. Anyway, we already give too many of our hard-earned tax dollars to lazy old people who won't work.

Fantine · Jun 19, 2025

There are other answers. Look at these charts to see what all these other countries with universal health care are paying per capita--and the cost of living in some of these countries is higher.

List of countries by total health expenditure per capita - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Eliminate the middle man--insurance companies and the huge bureaucracies. Save red tape from the clinic level on up.

Obtain the same wholesale deals on drug prices that other countries (and the VA) does.

As usual, Bernie Sanders had it all figured out decades ago.

Richard T · Jun 19, 2025

Fantine said:
There are other answers. Look at these charts to see what all these other countries with universal health care are paying per capita--and the cost of living in some of these countries is higher.

List of countries by total health expenditure per capita - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Eliminate the middle man--insurance companies and the huge bureaucracies. Save red tape from the clinic level on up.

Obtain the same wholesale deals on drug prices that other countries (and the VA) does.

As usual, Bernie Sanders had it all figured out decades ago.

Good thinking. I'd like to see a health care system where providers set a price for each health service and they can't change the price for six months to one year. (Set the price too high and you will have very little business) Insurers too would set fixed prices based on how much they will pay for each health care service. Then individuals would totally decide who and where they wish to go to. Middlemen and special negotiations would be forbidden. One could go to any state or even a foreign country and insurance would pay the stated or lower amount if it cost less. Competition would be immense and drive costs down. It would all still be mostly private or non-profit providers. Quality assurance could still assess providers too, based on their treatment outcomes and individual reviews.

Fantine · Jun 19, 2025

Creative thinking could definitely allow for more and better care for less money.
I also think we have too many nursing homes and this costs Medicaid and enormous amount of money. Some communities have Adult Day Care Centers. Our community used to but it is closed. The centers would allow the children in the sandwich generation to help care for their elderly parents at home. They could hold on to their jobs and still care for family. A family I knew cared for their elderly mother through Adult Day Care. Her son, who had a successful photography business, paid the fee for daycare. His sister, who was retired, had her days free and had some respite while she could care for the mom at night.

Richard T · Jun 19, 2025

Fantine said:
Creative thinking could definitely allow for more and better care for less money.
I also think we have too many nursing homes and this costs Medicaid and enormous amount of money. Some communities have Adult Day Care Centers. Our community used to but it is closed. The centers would allow the children in the sandwich generation to help care for their elderly parents at home. They could hold on to their jobs and still care for family. A family I knew cared for their elderly mother through Adult Day Care. Her son, who had a successful photography business, paid the fee for daycare. His sister, who was retired, had her days free and had some respite while she could care for the mom at night.

Yes, some good ideas about adult day care. Florida used to pay even a relative if they cared for an elderly family member. I am not sure about now. Most states though have a shortage of medicaid beds in nursing homes or the ones they do have are very low quality. With an aging population I think the USA should maybe outsource this care or allow immigrants in to bolster home health services.

bèlla · Jun 19, 2025

As the article shows the dates can decrease and that’s not a lot of time. Eight and nine years respectively and we should definitely add ‘or less’ to that statement. If you rely on these services or expect to have them as part of your retirement plan you should take advantage of this time and increase your coffers. The alternative may not be to your liking and it’s better to have options than not.

You have a pro-crypto president and should buy while you can before legislation is in place and prices increase. Set it aside for later and let it build. Many of you are knowledgeable about different subjects and love sharing your opinions. You can do the same on YouTube and other platforms and fund your investments. If you have trustworthy friends and relatives join forces and work together.

Don’t sit on your hands and say I have 8 years to work with. No you don’t. You have 8 years as of this moment. It may be lower next year and continue to decrease. We must work while the day is here because night is coming. There’s a lot of information available for your benefit and you should take advantage of it.

This is a good time to start a garden. They have metal raised beds that minimize bending that are good for seniors and those with disabilities. You can explore natural remedies that don’t rely on medications that can be grown in your garden. This is a good time to get in shape and improve your diet. To strengthen your prayer life and fast if you haven’t. You can start cooking at home and make the things you usually buy to save money and put some away. That’s canning and preserving for novices.

I would encourage the “relying on God types” within the flock to exercise their commonsense. It’s increasingly evident things will tighten and we shouldn’t burden others because of our laziness. You have more than enough time to take action and should do so. Don’t make others responsible for your care because you couldn’t be bothered.

~bella

Richard T · Jun 19, 2025

I like most of your post including the last paragraph that is entirely spot on. I still am not on board with crypto. The latest trend seems to be toward stablecoin but who really wants to invest in an asset that is no better than holding dollars except those who like anonymity? Why not just buy treasuries that earn some interest which have very little transactional cost? Gold or grains like wheat or corn, land or real assets seem far better to me. Basic bitcoin seems worse than tulip bulbs. Nothing in history of any asset class that earned nothing has ever achieved lasting success. How does bitcoin defy that? That even in a government collapse if private property rights are still protected, will bitcoin outshine those hard assets i mentioned? Yes, it is possible for a time bitcoin will persist and gain by its new friends in government but I doubt most will be buying during any significant downturn and even if no economic downturn occurs it should reach a saturation point and become boring.

Fantine · Jul 2, 2025

Fantine said:
"Buying crypto" seems like extremely risky advice in comparison to the rest of your advice.
I have never been much of a "I am a rock, I am an island" kind of person. I am more of a "make the world a better place for everyone" person.
One of the experts I dislike most is Dave Ramsey. He's kind of a "rock/island" adviser, but he also tries to promote his own products to people who can ill afford them. To me, the most glaring example is do it yourself tax preparing. There are absolutely free federal and state programs out there--and until Trump took it away people could also do their taxes free online through the IRS. I use Cash App taxes and my taxes are reasonably complex. Ramsey doesn't need your fifty to a hundred bucks, and it is wrong that he tries to get it for tax programs.
We all need to realize we can't be rocks and islands--and a lot of the social safety net programs out there have historically created a strong, healthy middle class--which, unlike giveaways to the rich---create a rising tide that lifts all ships. There are also labor unions and fair labor laws, all good things that are so much better than becoming a survivalist.

essentialsaltes · Sep 20, 2025

Social Security chief walks back remark on raising retirement age

In an interview with Fox Business, host Maria Bartiromo asked Bisignano if he’d consider increasing the age for full federal retirement benefits, which currently stands at 67.

“I think everything’s being considered and will be considered,” he said.

The Social Security Administration walked back his comments in an afternoon post on X.

“Let me be clear: President Trump and I will always protect, and never cut, Social Security.

Projections that Social Security coffers will start running out of money by 2034have increased pressure for lawmakers to take actions to prevent insolvency.

Fantine · Sep 20, 2025

essentialsaltes said:
Social Security chief walks back remark on raising retirement age

“Let me be clear: President Trump and I will always protect, and never cut, Social Security.

Until November 4, 2026. Call it a 'campaign promise' to protect the House and the Senate Republicans.

essentialsaltes · Tuesday at 4:07 PM

Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds

A Social Security trust fund used to pay retirement benefits may run out in late 2032, three months earlier than what had been projected last June, according to the new Social Security Administration annual trustees report released Tuesday.

Social Security uses incoming revenue from payroll taxes to pay benefits. When benefit payments exceed payroll tax income, the program relies on the trust funds to help make up the shortfall.

The report said that if the fund is depleted as projected, Social Security will only be able to pay 78% of retirement benefits.

The disability trust fund is projected to have a positive balance for the next 75 years, according to the new trustees’ report. [But Congress may borrow from it to shore up OASI].

Pommer · Tuesday at 4:45 PM

essentialsaltes said:
Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds
A Social Security trust fund used to pay retirement benefits may run out in late 2032, three months earlier than what had been projected last June, according to the new Social Security Administration annual trustees report released Tuesday.

Social Security uses incoming revenue from payroll taxes to pay benefits. When benefit payments exceed payroll tax income, the program relies on the trust funds to help make up the shortfall.

The report said that if the fund is depleted as projected, Social Security will only be able to pay 78% of retirement benefits.

The disability trust fund is projected to have a positive balance for the next 75 years, according to the new trustees’ report. [But Congress may borrow from it to shore up OASI].

Isn’t like 30% of “the national debt” monies we own to the Social Security and Medicare trust funds?

essentialsaltes · Tuesday at 7:12 PM

FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns

The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion

What happened?

"One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): Enacted on July 4, 2025, this law makes permanent the lower income tax rates and adjusted tax brackets originally enacted under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and both increases and makes permanent the larger standard deduction of the 2017 Act," the report says.

"The OBBBA also adds a temporary additional standard deduction for taxpayers over age 65," it says. "As a result, less income tax will be paid on Social Security benefits, and the OASI and DI Trust Funds will receive lower levels of revenue in the future from income taxation of Social Security benefits."

In an interview on the "Moon Griffon Show" Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said: "The reason we're in trouble is because over 74% of federal spending is on autopilot — mandatory spending, that is your entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and things like Social Security — they have to be adjusted and fixed." [Miraculously, finally something like the truth, rather than saying we can cut USAID and FEMA and this will balance the budget.]

"We have a plan to do that next year"

[I'm all ears. I bet if the GOP fixed Social Security before the midterms, it would help them out quite a bit politically.]

"At some point you get into a hole so deep you can't climb out of it, so desperate times call for desperate measures," Johnson said.

[Hmm... desperation doesn't sound too good. For better or worse this 'next year' fix is about as likely as a better replacement for Obamacare.]

Fantine · Wednesday at 10:04 AM

Pommer said:
Isn’t like 30% of “the national debt” monies we own to the Social Security and Medicare trust funds?

That's because the government used the trust fund to shore up their budget.

Fantine · Wednesday at 10:11 AM

essentialsaltes said:
FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns
The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion
What happened?

"One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): Enacted on July 4, 2025, this law makes permanent the lower income tax rates and adjusted tax brackets originally enacted under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and both increases and makes permanent the larger standard deduction of the 2017 Act," the report says.

"The OBBBA also adds a temporary additional standard deduction for taxpayers over age 65," it says. "As a result, less income tax will be paid on Social Security benefits, and the OASI and DI Trust Funds will receive lower levels of revenue in the future from income taxation of Social Security benefits."

In an interview on the "Moon Griffon Show" Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said: "The reason we're in trouble is because over 74% of federal spending is on autopilot — mandatory spending, that is your entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and things like Social Security — they have to be adjusted and fixed." [Miraculously, finally something like the truth, rather than saying we can cut USAID and FEMA and this will balance the budget.]

First thing we can do is cancel all of the vanity projects that Trump is planning in Washington, beginning with the ballroom. If polls are correct, about sixty five percent of Americans want to forget him as quickly as possible, not see him honored for the appallingly bad job he is doing.
Then we could stop the unnecessary wars that cost a billion dollars a day. I can't understand why we ever started them. Was it to fulfill campaign promises to defense contractors?
Next, on Election Day 2026 we could build a firewall in either of the House or the Senate, preferably both, that would prevent far more budgetary damage from occurring and protect Social Security and Medicare until our government is led by a president who cares about the ninety nine percent.

Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates pushed closer due to rising health care costs, new SSA law

Fact-Based Lifeform

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Fact-Based Lifeform

Social Security chief walks back remark on raising retirement age​

Dona Quixote

Social Security chief walks back remark on raising retirement age​

Fact-Based Lifeform

Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds​

Future History Slab Carver

Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds​

Fact-Based Lifeform

FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns​

The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion​

Dona Quixote

Dona Quixote

FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns​

The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion​

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Social Security chief walks back remark on raising retirement age

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Social Security retirement trust fund may be depleted in 2032, new trustees report finds

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FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns

The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion

FOX: Social Security has less than 10 years before reserves are exhausted, new trustees report warns

The 2026 Trustees Report says ongoing tax revenues would cover only 78% of scheduled retirement benefits after 2032 depletion