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(Harris, 59, is herself among the youngest baby boomers, born in 1964, the last year that’s considered part of the generation.) Smith and her husband have struggled to stretch their monthly Social Security income of around $4,000 as their costs have increased. The average Social Security check was around $2,000 at the start of the year and adjusts annually for inflation. About half of Social Security recipients make enough income to have their benefits taxed, according to the Social Security Administration. Polls show a tightening race between Trump and Harris among seniors, with Harris appearing to pick up support compared to Biden.

Persons: Teresa Smith, Smith, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, she’s, “, he’d, “ He’s, Harris, that’s, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, ”, Bob Ward, Fabrizio Ward, Biden, hasn’t, ” Trump, Medicare —, Walz, Seth Schuster, Trump, Phil Martin, Martin, Pam, “ Trump’s, Denise Meyer, ” Meyer, Kamala, Gary Schlossberg, Dick Edgecombe, Edgecombe, we’re, Gary Allen, Allen, Kristen Soltis Anderson Organizations: White House, Democratic, Trump, Republicans, Biden, AARP, Social Security, Social, Social Security Administration, Medicare, Pew Research Center, NBC, FedEx, Wells, Investment Institute, Republican, “ Locations: Georgia, North Carolina, Charlotte, Wells Fargo, “, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, ”, Michigan

Some sections are backward-looking and focus more on touting the record of the Biden-Harris administration, while also criticizing Trump’s agenda. The health care section of Harris’ agenda focuses more on what the Biden-Harris administration has done than plans for the future. The Harris agenda vows to “fight to raise the minimum wage,” but doesn’t say how high she wants it to be. The Harris campaign would not say whether she supports doing away with the 60-vote rule to pass those measures. The bulk of Harris’ agenda would be subject to congressional approval, likely requiring Democrats to control the House and Senate to have a strong chance of passage.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, Joe Biden, ”, “, Sydney Smith, Republicans scoff, ” Sen, John Cornyn, Harris hasn’t, “ I’m, Biden, Republicans tanked, Trump, Karoline Leavitt, “ They’ve, Ron Wyden, “ We’re, ” Harris, Hasan Pyarali Organizations: WASHINGTON, Biden, Republican, New York Times, Trump, Wake Forest University, Republicans, GOP, NBC News, Security, Social Security, Medicare, Senate, Border Patrol, The Society, Technology, ”, CNN, ABC, Democratic Locations: North Carolina, Texas, America

☆ U.S. National Debt Tops $35 Trillion for First Time
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Alan Rappeport | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

America’s gross national debt topped $35 trillion for the first time on Monday, a reminder of the nation’s grim fiscal predicament as legislative fights over taxes and spending initiatives loom in Washington. The Treasury Department noted the milestone in its daily report detailing the nation’s balance sheet. The leading presidential candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump, have said little about the nation’s deficits on the campaign trail, suggesting that the economic problem will only worsen in the coming years. Deep differences between Republicans and Democrats on policy priorities and resistance within both parties to enacting cuts to the biggest drivers of the national debt — Social Security and Medicare — have made it difficult to reduce America’s borrowing. The Congressional Budget Office said last month that the U.S. national debt is poised to top $56 trillion by 2034, as rising spending and interest expenses outpace tax revenue.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald J Organizations: The Treasury Department, Trump, Social Security, Medicare, Congressional, Office, U.S Locations: Washington, United States

As Mr. Biden fielded the opening question, Mr. Trump remained silent behind his lectern for the full two minutes of his opponent’s answer. A few minutes later, Mr. Trump’s restraint was apparent when Mr. Biden jabbed at him over the number of troops who died on his watch. Instead of shouting or interrupting, Mr. Trump puckered his lips and waited until Mr. Biden finished. Making his case for a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans, Mr. Biden trailed off and appeared to lose his train of thought. “Well, he’s right he did beat Medicare — he beat it to death,” Mr. Trump said.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Biden, Biden’s, Biden jabbed, Mr, “, Jake Tapper, “ We’d, We’d, I’ve, we’ve, —, ” Mr, ” Organizations: CNN

Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesDemocrats are also encouraged by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz eking out reelection in 2018 by less than 3 percentage points over Democrat Beto O'Rourke. In Florida, meanwhile, Republican Sen. Rick Scott won his seat that year by around 10,000 votes out of 8.1-plus million cast. In Texas, Democratic Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas will have to overcome primary challenger Roland Gutierrez, a state senator from San Antonio, before he can take on Cruz. “Just 'cause they’re the best options they have doesn’t mean they're winnable, doesn't mean they're competitive,” said Texas Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak. National Republicans are eying Ohio, where Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown was first elected in 2006, and Montana's Jon Tester, also a three-term Democratic incumbent.

Persons: Joe Biden's, West Virginia Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Roe, Wade, Dallas, Kate Cox, Texas Republican Sen, Ted Cruz eking, Democrat Beto O'Rourke, Republican Sen, Rick Scott, “, Michigan Sen, Gary Peters, Debbie Mucarsel, Powell, Carlos Curbelo, Colin Allred, Roland Gutierrez, hasn't, O'Rourke, Cruz, ”, Matt Mackowiak, ′, West Virginia . Montana Sen, Steve Daines, Scott, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown, Jon Tester, Daines, Trump, Mucarsel, Allred, Cox, I’ve, “ Rick Scott, ” Mucarsel, Biden, “ Debbie Mucarsel, ” Scott, Jonathan Turcotte, Catherine Cortez Masto, can’t, Beto, MacKowiak Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, West Virginia Democratic, Republicans, Texas Republican, Democrat, Republican, Democratic, Democratic Senatorial, West Virginia ., National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republicans, Senate, GOP, Trump, Texans, Social Security, Biden, Nevada Sen, NFL, Democrats ’ Senate Locations: Texas, Florida, In Florida, Michigan, Miami, In Texas, San Antonio, Cruz . Texas, West Virginia, West Virginia . Montana, Ohio, Illinois , Texas , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, U.S, Mexico, Ecuador, Washington

☆ Social Security Is Now Enriching Older Americans at the Expensive of Everyone Else - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( C. Eugene Steuerle | Glenn Kramon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Like many past ones, it protects the growth of Social Security and Medicare — and cuts the share of the budget devoted to discretionary programs like science and research, environment and education. But there’s another way to help long-term: Those in late middle age will need to work longer as they live longer. That would help shore up revenue with additional Social Security taxes and the income taxes that largely pay for Part B of Medicare. We can adjust Social Security to help achieve that goal. We can both increase revenues and reduce spending by increasing the earliest retirement age from 62, and also the full-retirement age from 67.

Persons: MAGA Organizations: Democrat, Republican, Social Security, Medicare, Security Locations: Washington, France, Russia

☆ Medicare's drug-price negotiations will save the government billions in healthcare spending — but patients may not feel the benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Natalie Rahhal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Patients with private health insurance aren't likely to see a drop in costs from the negotiations. Longo said the price-setting provisions will drive research and investment away from treatment options for Medicare patients. If drug companies won't come to the negotiating table to lower drug prices paid by private insurers, those insurers could take the companies' drugs off their lists of covered medications. Or, if private insurance companies don't negotiate drug prices down for their patients, patients in some cases could seek out different insurance. "These are not full solutions, but they are the beginning of cracks in the facade" of drug companies' constant price hikes, Feldman said.

Persons: Biden, Juliette Cubanski, Jeffrey Davis, Davis, Richard Frank, —, Nicole Longo, Longo, it's, — aren't, Robin Feldman, Feldman, Cuban's Organizations: Medicare, Healthcare, Morning, Centers, Services, Congressional, McDermott, Consulting, Brookings Schaeffer Initiative, Health, Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America, PhRMA, University of California Law School, Costco, Pharmaceutical Locations: Lower

☆ Tech Companies in Silicon Valley Can’t Keep Ignoring Seniors - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Farhad Manjoo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The tech industry’s hostility to aging “continues to violate common sense,” Joseph Coughlin, the director of M.I.T.’s AgeLab, told me. Through advances focused on health care, home assistance, transportation, robotics and artificial intelligence, technology will be crucial to address the problems emerging from demographic imbalance. “And yet they continue to ignore them.”What can Silicon Valley do for older people? Many of these promise to allow older people a measure of independence from family caregivers or health care facilities. There are companies that use in-home cameras, audio devices and biometric sensors to let health care providers monitor homebound seniors from afar, something like Life Alert for the digital age.

Persons: “, ” Joseph Coughlin, —, ” Coughlin Organizations: Medicare Locations: Silicon, ”

☆ America’s Seniors and the Challenges of Old Age - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

America will no longer bea young nation but an old one. Opinion Can America Age Gracefully? America may still think of itself as a young nation, but as a society, it is growing old. A demographic shift this significant calls for a broad-based response, and the longer the challenges go unaddressed, the more formidable they become. Many older people in the United States say they feel invisible in a country that has long been obsessed with youth, avoiding the inevitability — and possibilities — of old age.

Persons: Maira Kalman Organizations: Census, Social, Great Society, Social Security Locations: America, Japan, United States

☆ Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Kat Tretina | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +12 min

Trip cancellation and interruption coverage is the most common form of travel insurance, making up nearly 90% of travel protection plans sold. Travel medical: When you travel to another country, typical health insurance plans — including Medicare — don’t cover you. Like all forms of insurance, travel insurance policies don’t cover every event that can impact your vacation. “When you travel using airline miles and hotel points, most credit card travel insurance policies won’t cover the trips,” says Huffman. “If you do not get travel insurance, you are rolling the dice,” says Hines, who adds she always recommends travel insurance to her clients.

Persons: Kat, we’ve, it’s, ”, Tiffany Hines, Mark Friedlander, ” What’s, Friedlander, Lee Huffman, Huffman, Kevin Payne, Payne, Hines, “ We’ve, won’t Organizations: Global, Travel, Insurance Information Institute, Disease Control, Prevention, World Health Organization, Spirit Airlines, Delta, Allianz Travel Locations: Athens , Georgia, Europe, U.S

☆ The Big Part of the Debt Ceiling Deal Congress Isn’t Talking About
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Margot Sanger-Katz | Alicia Parlapiano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

Annual deficit projections $3 trillion Current trajectory Full debt limit deal Debt limit bill House G.O.P. bill passed in April $2 trillion $1 trillion 2023 2028 2033 Annual deficit projections $3 trillion $2 trillion $1 trillion Current trajectory Full debt limit deal Debt limit bill House G.O.P. But negotiators are confident enough in the agreement that they are moving forward with the debt limit bill this week. The debt limit deal scenarios assume that after budget caps lift in 2026, Congress will increase spending in line with inflation. It's also possible that the entire deal holds, and the next Congress will still make vastly different spending choices.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Biden, “, It's Organizations: House Republicans, White, New York Times, Congressional, Republicans, Office, SNAP, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, Medicare, Savings, Energy, Biden, Medicaid, of Commerce, Federal Locations: That’s, G.O.P, Washington

☆ Biden Faces His First Big Choice on Debt Limit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“In our history, we have never defaulted on our debt or failed to pay our bills. Congressional Republicans must act immediately and without conditions to avoid default.”But that does not mean Mr. Biden will be able to maintain his current posture toward Mr. McCarthy indefinitely. Administration officials have pushed business groups to pressure Republicans to pass a no-strings debt limit increase. “I’m happy to meet with McCarthy, but not on whether or not the debt limit gets extended,” Mr. Biden told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. More recently, officials across the administration have blasted the Republican bill for potentially cutting spending on popular programs for veterans, students and more.

☆ Analysis: American living standards are on the line in the debt ceiling drama
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Christine Romans | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Inside the Beltway, jockeying over raising the debt ceiling has become a partisan ritual to gain political points. But marching toward a debt ceiling default puts American living standards on the line. For most of that time, the debt ceiling was raised with little fuss, until 2011 brought the debt ceiling into a new dangerous realm of political brinksmanship. Deciding later not to pay the bills by not raising the debt ceiling is not sound fiscal policy. Roger Ferguson, economist and former vice chair of the Fed, said the debt ceiling is out of date.

☆ House Republicans unveil their plan to raise the debt ceiling for just one year — and it already faces hurdles from its own party
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Kevin McCarthy unveiled his bill to raise the debt ceiling on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy released his 320-page bill to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. And some Republicans don't even want to raise the debt ceiling at all. But McCarthy and Republicans have insisted that a hike to the debt ceiling needs to be accompanied by spending cuts. Earlier on Wednesday, the Problem Solvers Caucus — comprised of moderate Democrats and Republicans — unveiled their own plan to raise the debt ceiling, which included suspending the debt ceiling through December 31, 2023, to allow time to complete next year's budget, allowing for an automatic debt ceiling increase through February 28, 2025.

☆ Medicare expenses in retirement could top $383,000 for a couple with high drug costs, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"You don't want to be shocked when you get to retirement and find this out, or discover that Medicare doesn't cover everything," Fronstin said. Representing an extreme case, a couple with high prescription drug expenses would need to have saved $383,000 to have a 90% chance of having enough to cover their health-care costs. Advantage Plan coverageThe second coverage scenario analyzed in the study involves a Medicare Advantage Plan, which delivers Parts A and B, and typically Part D, as well extras like dental and vision. Of Medicare's 64.5 million beneficiaries, 29.1 million are enrolled in Advantage Plans and that number is expected to continue growing. While many Advantage Plans have no premium, they do have their own deductibles, copays or coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums that vary from plan to plan.

☆ Before you enroll in Medicare, what to know about new rules that eliminate coverage gaps
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Shapecharge | E+ | Getty ImagesSignup rules for Medicare can be trickyMedicare's enrollment rules can be confusing. watch nowInitial enrollment period gap is eliminatedYour initial enrollment period starts three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after it (seven months total). In the past, some beneficiaries waited up to three months for coverage to take effect. If you enroll before the month you turn 65, coverage starts the first of your birthday month (that hasn't changed). Additionally, beneficiaries who qualify for the special enrollment period will not face Part B late enrollment penalties.

☆ Which to Choose: Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Paula Span | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Which to Choose: Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Medicare Advantage plans, like traditional Medicare, are funded by the federal government, but they are offered though private insurance companies, which receive a set payment for each enrollee. The proportion of eligible Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans has hit 48 percent. Which is better: Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Credit... Kenny Holston for The New York Times Unlike most Medicare Advantage plans, traditional Medicare does not include drug coverage.

☆ Even as the midterm election results were 'positive for seniors,' some worry about Social Security amid debt ceiling negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The midterm elections made two key federal programs seniors rely on — Social Security and Medicare — a topic of national conversation. The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare saw more than 70 of the nearly 100 candidates it had endorsed win, according to its president and CEO, Max Richtman. Some key wins, according to Richtman, included Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in Arizona over Republican candidate Blake Masters, as well as Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire against Republican Donald Bolduc. Both Masters and Bolduc had mentioned privatizing Medicare or Social Security during their campaigns, according to Richtman. Yet even as champions for preserving Social Security have been reelected or newly elected, other leaders have called for rethinking how those programs are approached.

☆ Forget the culture wars: Democrats and Republicans are focusing their midterm-election closing arguments on Medicare and Social Security
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Democrats are challenging that by framing themselves as defenders of Medicare and Social Security. Since relief on sky-high inflation or the housing crisis isn't imminent, Democrats have turned to Republican plans to privatize and make cuts to Social Security and Medicare. In a speech at the Democratic National Committee last week, Biden used the phrase "Social Security and Medicare" 11 times while countering Republicans' rhetoric around reforming both programs. Republicans' proposed budget points to cuts, but they're denying that's the planRepublicans have said Democrats are misrepresenting their comments on Social Security and Medicare. Arrington has repeatedly introduced legislation that would prevent people from receiving both Social Security disability benefits and Social Security unemployment benefits at the same time — called "double dipping" by critics.

☆ Before dropping a Medicare Advantage plan altogether during open enrollment, compare these key costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

FatCamera | E+ | Getty ImagesFor some Medicare beneficiaries, an Advantage Plan ends up not being a good fit. Here's what to consider if you want to ditch an Advantage Plan altogether. Danielle Roberts co-founder of Boomer Benefits"There is not a guarantee that the underwriter will approve you for the Medigap policy," Roberts said. This means it may be wise to avoid dropping your Advantage Plan until you know you'd be able to get the Medigap policy. That 12-month trial period lets you drop an Advantage Plan and return to the Medigap plan you were previously enrolled in.

☆ The White House is touting a huge boost to Social Security checks. It's happening because inflation is sky high.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

That's despite Social Security cost of living adjustments being directly tied to inflation since 1972. The boon to Social Security is accurate, but it's one that would happen regardless of Biden's stewardship. The direct relationship between inflation and Social Security has existed since 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed automatic benefit adjustments. It's the largest rise in Social Security payments in about that same amount of time, and will increase monthly Social Security checks by about $145 per month on average, according to the AARP. And protecting Medicare and Social Security are top issues for them, according to an AARP survey analysis.

☆ The Inflation Reduction Act aims to lower drug costs — but here’s how Big Pharma could get around it
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Berkeley-Lovelace-Jr.Jpg | Berkeley Lovelace Jr. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The Inflation Reduction Act is set to lower drug prices for millions of people in the United States — but experts fear pharmaceutical companies could exploit loopholes in the bill, ultimately keeping prescription costs high for many. The tactics may ultimately threaten the law’s ability to lower drug costs for consumers. Higher prices for new drugsOther experts are concerned about how companies might abuse the inflation rebate rule in the health law. The provision, which takes effect next year, imposes a rebate on drug manufacturers that raise the prices of their medications faster than inflation. By releasing new drugs at higher prices, drug companies will be able to make up for any lost revenue that they would normally receive from steadily raising prices each year, she said.

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