Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid What’s at stake & What we need to do Town Hall Meetings

1. Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid What’s at stake & What we need to do Town Hall Meetings Richmond 3/12/13 Roseville 3/13/13 San Francisco 3/14/13 San Jose 3/15/13 Stockton 3/16/13 Eric Kingson Professor of Social Work, Syracuse University Founding Co-director, Social Security Works Co-chair, Strengthen Social Security Coalition www.strengthensocialsecurity.org erkingso@syr.edu

2. Generations of Americans Built SS, Medicare & Medicaid. They work well & have strong public support. Even so, they have been under attack for many years and there is danger that their protections will be severely cut. Organization of Presentation What we built, why we built them & why they work Why and how they are under attack What’s at stake for each of us and the nation What being done by our allies and what we can do

3. Generations of Americans Built SS, M & M Our Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid are critical systems that serves us all, like the military or the highway system. SS is the foundation of our retirement security. They are basic protection for our families. Each generation has done its part to build and maintain these systems over 77 (47) years. 3

4. Why we built it Our SS, M & M systems are vital because they are by far the safest, most efficient, and most reliable way for Americans to guarantee their retirement income and health care. Private retirement investments are inherently risky. Even sophisticated investors can lose everything. Health care costs can undermine family finances, access and care 4

5. Social Security Works for California 5 million Californians received Social Security in 2010 About 3.5 million retired workers & their spouses 700,000 disabled workers and their spouses 380,000 widows and widowers 360,000 children 1 in 8 receive Social Security benefits Each month $5.3 BILLION goes into CA homes from SS That’s $64,000,000,000 per year ( $64Billion!) Substantial impact on economy (3.4% of GDP) 4.6 million insured by Medicare 11 million insured by Medicaid/Child Health Plus ($156,000,000,000 per year from SS, Medicare & Medicaid) Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California

6. Social Security data available at end of PowerPoint presentation for the following counties: Contra Costa County Placer County Sacramento County San Francisco County San Joaquin County Solano County

7. Social Security provides three-quarters of the total income to the 60% of elderly households with incomes below $32,602

8. Strong Support across all groups • “Americans value Social Security, want to improve benefits, and are willing to pay more for the more to pay more to maintain and expand its benefit protections (NASI, 2013) • Roughly four out of five say they value it for themselves, their families and for the sound protection it provides to tens of millions of beneficiaries; • More than four-fifths say that benefits are too low for retirees • Three-quarters favor improving retirement protections for working Americans even if it requires increasing payroll tax contributions. • More than four out of five believe it should be preserved for future generations even if it requires increasing payroll tax contributions.

9. It’s about what we value • Based on civic and religious principles • We are all in it together • Hard work and fair return to work • Responsibilities to care for our children, parents, neighbors and selves • Right to live with dignity in old age, in disability or when a parent dies or is disabled. • SS, M & M move our nation closer to what Dr. King called “the beloved community,” the community where we understand that…"all people [should] share in the wealth of the earth. ... [Where] poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because ... human decency will not allow it."  King Center

10. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are solutions, not problems Politicians used to understand this President Eisenhower

11. LETTER FROM PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER TO HIS BROTHER, EDGAR EISENHOWER Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas.Their number is negligible and they are stupid. November 8, 1954 http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1147.cfm

12. What happened? Why are these institutions under attack? Easy votes came to an end Shift in mid-1970s towards financing concerns Policy arena and conflict expanded Radical Conservative’s “Leninist” strategy & vision Progressive’s talk “percents of taxable payroll” Conservative’s appeal to values Intergenerational inequity/Young vs. Old frame Unfair to women, Latino’s, African-Americans, rich, poor Unsustainable Turning “Entitlement” into a 4 letter word Privatization Then Eureka: The Deficit/Debt Crisis!!!!!

13. February 2009 Fiscal Task Force Conrad/Greg November 2009 National Commission for Fiscal Responsibility and Reform/Bowles-Simpson (Dec 1, 2010) 2011 State of the Union Gangs of 6 & 7 Obama/Boehner Negotiations Debt Ceiling Negotiations July 2011 Supercommitee Deadlock Budget Control Act of 2011 Sequestration President’s continuing desire for Grand Bargain New Ryan Budget The “Entitlements Problem” Frame Progressives play “Whack a mole”

14. Sequestration Playing off young against old White House seeking “grand bargain” Ryan budget Debt ceiling Ageism / Blaming Baby Boomers Threats

15. What’s at Stake? Cost of Living Adjustments for current & future beneficiaries Retirement age increases in Social Security and Medicare Basic structure of Social Security Social Security Administration Services Privatization “light” Privatizing Medicare Defined benefit vs. defined contribution in Medicare Block granting and radically diminishing Medicaid protections Middle class security Children’s & grandchildren’s security

16. AFL-CIO Repeal the sequester Congressional Progressive Caucus No Cuts letter 107 Grayson Takano Letter -Pledge Repeal the sequester petition – 300,000 March 20 Day of Action Senator Begich’s and Cong. Deutch Bill Senator Harkins Senator Sanders/Co-sponsor Senator Reid Congressman Conyers – Cancel the sequester Transition Report – Field activities What organizations & champions are doing?

17. Retirement Income Crisis 2/3rds of working Americans unable to maintain standard of living in retirement (NRRI) $6.6 trillion retirement income gap, ages 32-64 (Pension Rights Center) Household wealth dropped from $66 trillion in 2007 to $58 trillion in 2011 Households “headed” by person 55-64 dropped from $61,700 in 2009 to $ 55,750 in 2011 54% of 45-54 say “totally unprepared for retirement” (2011 Alliance Life Insurance Survey)

18. What we can do • Bring our voices into debate • Seek pledges/promise/hold politicians responsible • District visits • Write and call members of Congress and White House. Thank champions • Participate in CARA actions/National Day of Action • Newspaper letters, radio call-ins

19. An Affirmative Agenda Lift the cap CPI-E Restore SSA to first class service Special minimum, Caregiver credits, Student benefit & other targeted improvements SSI – assets tests, basic benefit Benefit improvements as economy strengthens

20. Next steps: • We have to keep fighting • Tell them to scrap the cap, not… • Keep SS out of Debt discussion • Oppose All Cuts • Cancel the sequester • Hold Members Accountable, even our friends • Focus on retirement income threats • PROTECT THE LEGACY

21. End here

22. Report released in English & Spanish by California Alliance for Retired Americans and Social Security Works Download in English from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Download in Spanish from Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

23. Social Security Works for Solano County 1 in 7 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 8 insured by Medicare 1 in 6 insured by Medicaid 60,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 40,000 retired workers & their spouses 11,000 disabled workers and their spouses 5,000 widows and widowers 5,000 children Each year $766 MILLION into Solano County homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

24. Social Security Works for Contra Costa County 1 in 7 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 7 insured by Medicare 1 in 8 insured by Medicaid 155,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 110,000 retired workers & their spouses 22,000 disabled workers and their spouses 12,000 widows and widowers 11,000 children Each year $2.2 BILLION into Contra Costa homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

25. Social Security Works for Placer County 1 in 6 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 6 insured by Medicare 1 in 12 insured by Medical 64,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 48,000 retired workers & their spouses 8,000 disabled workers and their spouses 4,000 widows and widowers 3,500 children Each year $893 MILLION into Placer County homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

26. Social Security Works for Sacramento County 1 in 7 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 8 insured by Medicare 1 in 4 insured by Medicaid 201,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 128,000 retired workers & their spouses 39,000 disabled workers and their spouses 15,000 widows and widowers 19,000 children Each year $2.5 BILLION into Sacramento homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

27. Social Security Works for San Francisco 1 in 7 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 7 insured by Medicare 1 in insured by Medical 112,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 82,000 retired workers & their spouses 18,000 disabled workers and their spouses 7,000 widows and widowers 5,000 children Each year $1.4 BILLION into San Francisco homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaid funciona para california

28. Social Security Works for Santa Clara County 1 in 9 receive Social Security benefits 1 in 9 insured by Medicare 1 in 7 insured by Medical 205,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 154,000 retired workers & their spouses 24,000 disabled workers and their spouses 14,000 widows and widowers 13,000 children Each year $1.4 BILLION into San Francisco homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaidfunciona para california

29. Social Security Works for: • Congressman Mike Honda’s Constituents (17th CD), 91,000 receive Social Security benefits each month $1.1 billion each year • Congressman Ann ’s Constituents (18thCD), 96,000 receive Social Security benefits each month $1.1 billion each year • Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren’s Constituents (19thCD), 120,000 receive Social Security benefits each month $1.5 billion each year • Congressman Sam Farr’s Constituents (20thCD), 72,000 receive Social Security benefits each month $717 million each year

30. Social Security Works for San Joaquin County 1 in 7receive Social Security benefits 1 in 8insured by Medicare 1 in 4insured by Medical 93,000 received Social Security in 2010 About 60,000 retired workers & their spouses 17,000 disabled workers and their spouses 7,000 widows and widowers 9,000 children Each year $1.2 BILLION into San Joaquin homes from SS Source: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid Work for California Seguro Social, Medicare y Medicaidfunciona para california

31. Social Security Works for: Congressman Jerry McNerney’sConstituents (9th CD) 81,221 receive Social Security benefits each month $1.1 billion each year

32. Budget Control Act of 2011 Four components of the debt-ceiling deal 1) Established Super committee & process 2)$917 billion in discretionary spending cuts over the next 10 years. 3) Creation of “Super Committee” tasked to recommend another $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction for an up-or-down vote in Congress by December 23, 2011. No changes allowed. 4) Trigger to enact $1.2 trillion in across-the-board cuts if the Super Committee fails, split equally between defense and non-defense programs; Social Security is exempted.

33. The Long-Range Forecast(Source: 2012 OASDI Trustees Report) • Social Security is currently in surplus and has an accumulated reserve of $2.7 trillion. • Revenue will exceed benefits and admin. costs until 2021, at which time total accumulated reserves will be $3.1 trillion. • The accumulated assets will enable the payment of full benefits until 2033, in the unlikely event that Congress does not act before then. • In 2033, reserves are projected to be depleted. Income is forecast to cover 3/4ths of benefits due from 2033 through 2087. • Projected shortfall 2.61% of taxable payroll

34. Finances – Three sources of Revenues Trust fund income = $873.4 billion (mostly contributions) Trust fund outgo = $832.3 billion (99% in benefits) Surplus = $41.1 billion (2013 projections from 2012 OASDI Trustees Report) By law, surpluses are invested in U.S. government securities and earn interest that goes to the trust funds.

35. Source: Social Security Administration, Income of the Aged Chartbook, 2010 http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/chartbooks/income_aged/2010/iac10.pdf

36. Blaming Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, UI, etc. Used by the permission of Joel Pett and the Cartoonist Group http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Cartoons/2011/August/Monopoly-Money.aspx

37. More than benefits

38. A commitment to each other