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Insider’s Report: Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season!
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As we prepare to usher in a new year, it’s important to reflect on the incredible fight and passion displayed by our million+ members and supporters like you who rallied together to demonstrate Americans’ support for protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare. And I hope I can count you with me as we prepare for what I anticipate will be an important and challenging year ahead for Americans’ retirement and health security.
For many older Americans, the end of 2022 is being met with growing uncertainty about the new House majority’s plans for Social Security and Medicare in the new Congress that include slashing benefits and implementing harmful reforms to your earned benefits.
I expect 2023 to mark a new and frankly alarming phase in the war on seniors’ programs. It’s clear the GOP remains focused on targeting Social Security and Medicare to help pay for deficit reduction and a permanent expansion of the $2 trillion Trump-GOP tax law that mainly benefits the wealthiest Americans and huge corporations. One U.S. Representative, Chip Roy (TX-21), even went so far as to publicly call Social Security and Medicare “garbage” that must be cut.
That’s why the National Committee will mark 2023 with a renewed focus on reminding Washington politicians — especially newly elected lawmakers — that cutting our nation’s safety net programs is NOT fiscal responsibility … it is an attack on the lifeline that millions of older Americans, including you, rely upon.
I look forward to working with you in the year ahead as we keep up the pressure on lawmakers to protect and strengthen our nation’s vital social insurance safety net.
From all of us here at the National Committee, we’re incredibly grateful for your support and generous gifts which make our advocacy work on behalf of seniors possible. Happy holidays to you and your family, and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!
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| Time to Get Familiar with the Debt Ceiling |
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Sometime during 2023 (most likely during the 3rd quarter), the federal government will have exhausted its ability to borrow money to meet its financial obligations — unless Congress raises or suspends the debt ceiling.
Republicans, who will have a majority in the House in the 118th Congress (2023-2024), have threatened to use next year’s debt ceiling negotiations to extract cuts to Social Security and Medicare. If Congress fails to increase or suspend the debt limit — and a default occurs — payment of your Social Security benefits could be disrupted.
Holding your earned benefits and the global economy hostage over the debt ceiling is unconscionable, yet that is exactly what Republicans aim to do! That’s why the National Committee is urging champions of Social Security and Medicare in the new Congress to stand firm in the face of GOP pressure and refuse to consider cuts to seniors’ programs.
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| Poll Results! |
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In the last issue of Benefits Watch we asked our readers the following question:
Do you believe the newly elected House majority will make it a top priority to target Social Security and Medicare with cuts and “reforms” early on in the new Congress?
The results from our recent poll are fascinating, but they’re only available to National Committee members! Join the National Committee today and we’ll immediately give you the results of this important poll.
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| Ask Web |
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Our resident Social Security expert, Webster Phillips — a Senior Policy Analyst for the National Committee and a 31-year veteran at the Social Security Administration — is here to answer your questions about Social Security.
You can either search our archives for valuable advice on a broad range of concerns or submit your question here.
This week's question is: I want to begin benefits in August. How much can I work and earn while drawing SS benefits?
Click here to read the answer.
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Ask Web
Whether you’re currently retired or approaching retirement, we can help answer your questions and provide valuable advice on Social Security. |
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Join Now
Your support sustains our campaigns in Washington to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. |
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Aging, Health and Care
Find useful resources on everything from caregiving and hearing care to long-term care and transportation. |
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| House GOP Budget Framework Sets 70 as Full Social Security Claiming Age
A budget proposal published by Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives calls for the raising the full Social Security retirement age to 70. Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, said raising the full retirement age represents “a benefit cut, plain and simple.” (December 12, 2022, Think Advisor, John Manganaro)
Read More →
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| NCPSSM President Busts Social Security Myths at Sen. Harkin’s Forum |
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Former Senator Tom Harkin asked NCPSSM President Richtman to debunk several myths which have undermined public perceptions of Social Security over the years. Richtman told the audience at the Harkin Institute in Des Moines, IA that one of the most pernicious myths is that Social Security is "going bankrupt." (December 8, 2022, www.ncpssm.org, Entitled to Know blog)
Read Here →
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| Should Doctors Warn Patients About the Downsides of Medicare Advantage Plans? |
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Doctors are left with a choice: send the patient home without care, ask the patient for payment, or be prepared to give the service for free. "It's very common for patients to come to my office thinking they still have Medicare when they've actually signed up with a Medicare Advantage plan," says one physician. (December 8, 2022, MedPage Today, Cheryl Clark)
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| As a record 8.7% Social Security cost-of-living increase starts in 2023, here’s what beneficiaries should look for in annual statements |
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Social Security beneficiaries will soon see bigger checks to help them cope with record high inflation. As Social Security statements roll in, you should troubleshoot for errors that can cost you. (Updated December 12, 2022, CNBC, Lorie Konish)
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| Column: Funding cuts have put U.S. Social Security customer service in crisis mode |
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The SSA has been plagued by years of cuts to its administrative budget imposed by Congress just as the aging of the U.S. population has meant an exploding workload. The number of beneficiaries has jumped 21% since 2010, yet its operating budget shrank 17%, adjusted for inflation. (December 8, 2022, Reuters, Mark Miller)
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| Democratic victories keep Social Security and Medicare safe for seniors |
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If I could sit in a room with the politicians threatening to slash these programs, I would tell them, “What you’re doing is taking away my assurance and my security that I will live on a healthy basis for the rest of my life. You are backing me into a corner and probably condemning me to be sick for the rest of my life — or killing me.” (December 11, 2022, The Gazette, Scott DeBerg)
Read More →
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