Archive for April, 2008
Social Security Avoids the Wall Street Roller Coaster
Friday, April 25th, 2008For baby-boomers who’ve been watching their retirement investment income lose money week by week, the fact that Social Security remains stable and predictable while Wall Street is anything but is critically important. Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich calls the failure to privatize Social Security “the best thing that didn’t happen during the Bush administration”: “… [...]
Social Security Hodge Podge
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008There are a number of Social Security items of note today…first this Wall Street Journal article regarding “payday lenders” and continuing attempts to take advantage of seniors who receive direct deposit payments from Social Security each month. The WSJ reports: “Social Security recipients with direct deposit can effectively use future benefits as collateral for short-term, [...]
Social Security False Alarm
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008While much has been written about this year’s Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report (we’ve already highlighted some of the coverage here ) there is another piece of recommended reading. This commentary highlights a constantly overlooked aspect of the “entitlement” debate…the fact that regardless of the “sky-is-falling” certainty expressed by those opposed to Social Social [...]
CMS Actuary Sees No Savings in Private Medicare Plans
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008Medicare’s chief actuary testified in the House today following last week’s release of the Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report. Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark highlighted some of the back-and-forth in a News Release issued at the conclusion of today’s event: “When Secretary Leavitt appeared before the Subcommittee earlier this year, he [...]