Lynne Stevens
On July 30, 1965, Democratic President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law in a non-partisan vote.
In 1972, Republican President Richard Nixon expanded Medicare to include end stage renal treatment and included long term disability coverage. Social Security was signed into law on Aug. 14, 1935 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, after it was discovered that a high percentage of elderly Americans were struggling and in poverty.
These are cherished American programs.
Millions of elderly are dependent on Social Security and Medicare for health care and living costs, plus benefits for dependent children when a parent dies. According to the Republican Study Committee’s “Fiscal Sanity to Save America,” they find the areas of most concern to be cost of living increases, survivor benefits for children and disability benefits.
Is “concern” a code for cut? Most economists feel there must be change, but the question remains: what changes, and how will it affect Medicare and Social Security recipients?
There are ideas, and a popular one is increasing payroll and investment income taxes on those making over $400,000 per year. An actuarial investigation looking into the effect of this solution on Social Security longevity has estimated these changes could give Social Security up to another 30 years of benefits (Rep. John Lawson, (D-Conn.). According to PBS.org, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices is acknowledged by experts to produce significant savings – but this solution is opposed by Republicans and the drug industry.
A Project 2025 solution is to create a default to corporate Medicare advantage plans, rather than making it an up front choice. This would hasten placing Medicare in corporate hands. They know most people will not do their research and just take the default.
Here is the problem: advantage plans are costing the government much more than regular Medicare. According to National Public Radio research, there have been many investigations and lawsuits regarding these plans for wrongful denial of claims – and high costs paid to the advantage plans. On the Conservative Heritage Foundation website, they falsely claim Biden is cutting Medicare. A research team with NBC affiliate Channel 9 finds the “cuts” are an audit program to reign in high costs and over payments to the health insurance companies.
Project 2025 mentions Social Security/ Medicare briefly about 10 times. Heritage says advantage plans give choices that Medicare does not. Remember, advantage plans have networks, authorizations and often lots of co-pays. Wall Street has openly wanted Social Security funds for decades and the corporate health plans want control of Medicare. Their profits are soaring.
My view is they plan to gradually eliminate Medicare and replace it with HMO/PPO advantage plans. Also remember, corporations have little accountability under this Supreme Court. This makes me concerned about the future of these beloved programs and those who depend on them.
On a side note, the near-assassination of a former American President is a shameful testament to a country overcome with political intolerance. The hatred is motivating unstable people to irrational actions.
Both parties need to do some serious soul searching.
Lynne Stevens writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. She can be reached via email, geminga@mailfence.com.