In fact, Senators on both sides of the aisle praised Burwell during their speeches on the Senate floor, expressing their high hopes for her work as HHS Secretary. Sen. Mike Johanns called her "a breath of fresh air," and Sen. Rob Portman said he thinks Burwell will help the department "get its act together." In addition, Sen. Johnny Isakson stated: "I'm looking forward to having someone in [HHS] that's going to be able to answer the hard questions. I might not like the answer, but I like having somebody who has the intellect and the capability and the willingness to be communicating with the Members of Congress.".Thus, under this hypothetical legislation, benefit obligations could not be met after the depletion of the asset reserves and elimination of payroll taxes. If this hypothetical legislation were enacted, with no alternative source of revenue to replace the elimination of payroll taxes on earned income paid on January 1, 2021 and thereafter, we estimate that DI Trust Fund asset reserves would become permanently depleted in about the middle of calendar year 2021, with no ability to pay DI benefits thereafter. We estimate that OASI Trust Fund reserves would become permanently depleted by the middle of calendar year 2023, with no ability to pay OASI benefits thereafter..Finally, there is little support for the tax cut among senior citizens. The findings of TSCL's 2012 Senior Survey have indicated that nearly fifty–six percent of seniors disagree with the use of the payroll tax cut as a means to stimulate the economy. Among those surveyed, only twenty-five percent said they agree with the use of the tax holiday..The Senior Citizens League enthusiastically supports H.R. 1251, S. 1909, and H.R. 4704, and we will continue to advocate for their passage in the months ahead. For more information, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website..TSCL Announces Support for New Legislation.However, waiting until your full retirement age qualifies you to receive 100% of the amount your ex-spouse received when he died. The amount you receive is based on your ex-spouse's basic benefit and depends on the age at which you file a claim. If you file for a survivor's benefit prior to your full retirement age, the amount of the survivors benefit you receive would be reduced, but your own retirement benefit would be delayed and continue to grow to its maximum until you reach age 70. You could switch if it is higher than your survivors benefits.."At the very least a plan is needed to prevent fraudsters from stealing critically needed benefits from legitimately disabled beneficiaries," Cates says. TSCL agrees with the Social Security Administration Inspector General that the best way to do this is to conduct full medical continuing disability reviews to ensure that people are still eligible to receive benefits. Yet In fiscal year 2013, the budget request was to conduct 650,000 reviews but given the actual funding received, the agency reported conducting only 429,000 such reviews. Consequently the Social Security Administration reports a backlog of 1.3 million overdue CDRs at the end of fiscal year 2013.[v] TSCL urges Congressional support to provide the resources needed to eliminate the CDR backlog and provide rigorous oversight from fraud.."Even under limited immigration reform that provides only work authorization and a valid Social Security number, immigrants would become entitled to Social Security benefits," Cates says. "Citizenship is not a requirement to receive benefits," he adds. But with Congress and President Obama debating cuts to Social Security, seniors are lining up against reform that would allow millions of new immigrants to benefit from work under fraudulent numbers. A recent TSCL survey found that 87 percent of seniors strongly favor prohibiting payment of Social Security benefits that are based on earnings from unauthorized work. TSCL supports immigration reform measures that would prohibit earnings from work prior to gaining legal authorization for use in determining Social Security benefits..Addressing the Part A shortfall will be particularly difficult and contentious for everyone. To bring greater solvency to the HI trust fund, lawmakers will be faced with the politically unpalatable choices of reducing Medicare spending, which could include requiring that Medicare recipients pay more for their coverage and increasing the tax revenues received by Medicare. Congress last addressed Medicare Part A finances in the 2010 Affordable Care Act which, among other things, required hospitals to become more efficient in their delivery of care, while requiring that higher income workers pay a higher Medicare payroll tax rate.
