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Social Security Commissioner’s Sketchy Sales Pitch to Congress

If Social Security Commissioner (and CEO of the IRS) Frank Bisignano brought anything with him from the corporate world, it is his ability to sell, sell, sell. At a June 10th hearing on Capitol Hill, the former Wall Street executive did his best to sell the fiction that EVERYTHING IS JUST GREAT at the Social Security Administration – despite massive understaffing, poor morale, and outright abuse of beneficiaries’ personal data. While House Ways and Means Committee Republicans responded to Bisignano’s testimony with complete credulity, Democrats and Social Security advocates would have appreciated -- pardon the pun -- a little more Frankness. And maybe even a smidge of humility.
2026-06-16T09:43:00-04:00June 12th, 2026|Categories: Congress, Democrats, Republicans|

Trump Offers Seniors Lies & Empty Promises in State of the Union Speech

Last night, Donald Trump delivered a bloated, hyper-partisan spectacle that did nothing to reassure the concerns of older Americans. In fact, the president attempted to mislead seniors about the administration’s policies that most seriously affect them. “The state of the union speech was theatrics over substance. And it was brazenly partisan,” said NCPSSM president and CEO, Max Richtman. “Trump’s brand of political performance art is no substitute for leadership that improves the lives of Americans of all ages, including our nation’s seniors.”
2026-02-26T13:02:16-04:00February 25th, 2026|Categories: Congress, Medicaid, Medicare, Prescription Drug Prices, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump, Trump Administration|

Cato Really Wants to Cut Your Social Security Benefits

Cato Institute’s Romina Boccia is back at it, peddling the trope that Social Security doesn’t work and must be “re-designed.” In a recent post on Cato’s blog, she rolls out the “greatest hits” from a time-worn catalogue of conservative talking points. We asked our senior Social Security expert, Maria Freese, to fact-check some of Boccia’s key claims.
2026-02-06T12:06:04-04:00February 5th, 2026|Categories: Congress, Payroll Tax Cap, Social Insurance, Social Security|

GOP Senators Face Key Test on Health Care Affordability 

Last week, the House of Representatives took a bold step towards averting huge increases in Americans’ health care premiums, passing a bill that would extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for three years. The measure succeeded thanks to YES votes from all House Democrats and 17 House Republicans, who openly defied GOP Speaker Mike Johnson.
2026-01-16T16:26:56-04:00January 13th, 2026|Categories: affordable care act, Congress, Older Americans, President Trump, Republicans|

What Does the End of the Shutdown Mean for Older Americans?

As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history finally ends, many of our readers are asking: what does this deal mean for older adults? We supported Democratic efforts to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies. Without Congressional action to extend these subsidies, millions of “near seniors”— aged 54 to 65— are poised to face dramatically higher health insurance premiums in 2026. 
2025-11-13T14:54:37-04:00November 13th, 2025|Categories: affordable care act, Congress, Democrats, GOP, Medicare, Older Americans, Republicans|

Trump & GOP Intransigence Will Hike Health Care Premiums

Open enrollment season for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans arrives amid a severe threat from Trump and congressional Republicans —- who continue to block the extension of crucial ACA premium subsidies. These subsidies have helped middle and lower-income Americans afford health coverage since they were enacted during the Covid pandemic.  This is what the government shutdown — now in its fifth week — is all about. Democrats insist that the subsidies be extended; Trump and the GOP have refused, despite the economic pain and health insecurity their actions will inflict on everyday Americans – including millions of MAGA voters. The president and his party won’t even negotiate with Democrats to end the shutdown. 
2025-11-06T15:05:23-04:00November 6th, 2025|Categories: affordable care act, Aging Issues, Congress, President Biden, President Trump, Republicans|

Trump Shutdown Could Snag Social Security, Medicare

In normal times, a government shutdown --- while unfortunate --- would not be cause for immediate alarm for people on Social Security and Medicare. But these are not normal times. The Trump administration has made the shutdown more perilous for the most vulnerable Americans because of its campaign to undermine the delivery of both programs --- not to mention the President’s recent threat to cut benefits.
2025-10-15T15:31:31-04:00October 1st, 2025|Categories: COLAs, Congress, Democrats, Medicare, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump, Trump Administration|

Social Security Comish Would Consider Raising Retirement Age

Despite Trump’s pledge not to cut Social Security, administration officials keep letting the real agenda slip out. First, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted that privatizing Social Security was on the table. Now, Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano says he’s open to the idea of raising the retirement age.  (The current full retirement age is 67; congressional Republicans have floated proposals to raise it as high as 70.) In an interview on Fox Business News last week, host Maria Bartiromo asked Bisignano if he’d “consider raising the retirement age,” to which the commissioner replied, “I think everything’s being considered.”
2025-10-15T16:03:12-04:00September 22nd, 2025|Categories: Congress, Rep. John Larson, Social Security, Social Security Administration (SSA)|

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