Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: Democrats back $15 minimum wage, but stalemate on Social Security [View all]arithia
(455 posts)The program isn't solvent, or at least that's what people on both sides of the aisle keep telling us. Now there are many reasons for this- lack of proper funding, aging boomers, increased life span, provider overbilling (Medicare has reclaimed huge amounts of money through audits of medical records http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20120224/NEWS/302249950) and a variety of other factors that point to the fact that Medicare desperately needs modernized and overhauled for today.
I'm looking at an eventual reduction in my $12k a year to live on if that does not happen. I'm *lucky* to have that much- that's the sad part.
Now, if the program is expanded without these overhauls, it's just going to sink the whole ship faster. There will be just as much waste, just as much bullsh*t, just on a larger scale. With all due respect to the people saying Clinton's stance "isn't good enough" or "isn't Democratic".... that simply isn't grounded in reality.
Expansion would be great. Most people who apply for SSI and SSDI never see it- the rep who approved my case told me of a farmer with no arms and no legs from a thresher accident who was denied his claim. Much like Medicaid, these programs don't receive enough money and are, quite frankly, rigged to drop applicants. I suppose they figure that if you REALLY need it, you will keep applying even when dropped. It's why the process of getting approved for coverage takes 2+ years on average.
** We need to clean and organize that house before we invite more people in. The people living there now are f*cked as it is. **