I STARTED THIS THREAD TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL SECURITY - PURPOSE AND BENEFITS.

Social Security (United States)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Largely because of SOLVENCY questions ranging from IMMEDIATE CRISIS to large PROJECTED FUTURE SHORTFALLS, reform of the Social Security system has been a major political issue for more than three decades during the presidencies of Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Social Security, in the United States, currently refers to the Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.

The original Social Security Act[1] and the current version of the Act, as amended[2] encompass several social welfare or social insurance programs. The larger and better known initiatives of the program are:

1. Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
2. Unemployment Insurance
3. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
4. Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled (Medicare)
5. Grants to States for Medical Assistance Programs (Medicaid)
6. State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
7. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax is a United States payroll (or employment) tax[1] imposed by the federal government on both employees and employers to fund Social Security and Medicare—federal programs that provide benefits for retirees, the disabled, and children of deceased workers.

Social Security benefits include old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI);

Medicare provides hospital insurance benefits.

Prior to the Great Depression, these economic problems were great hazards to working-class Americans:[citation needed]
The U.S. had no federal-government-mandated retirement savings; consequently, for many people, the end of their work careers was the end of all income.

Similarly, the U.S. had no federal-government-mandated disability income insurance to provide for citizens disabled by injuries (of any kind—work-related or non-work-related); consequently, for most people, a disabling injury meant no more income (since most people have little to no income except earned income from work).

In addition, there was no federal-government-mandated disability income insurance to provide for people unable to ever work during their lives, such as anyone born with severe mental retardation.

Finally, the U.S. had no federal-government-mandated health insurance for the elderly; consequently, for many people, the end of their work careers was the end of their ability to pay for medical care.

In the 1930s, the New Deal introduced Social Security to rectify the first three problems (retirement, injury-induced disability, or congenital disability). It introduced the FICA tax as the means to pay for Social Security.

In the 1960s, Medicare was introduced to rectify the fourth problem (health care for the elderly). The FICA tax was increased in order to pay for this expense.


AS ONE CAN OBSERVE, THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM HAS MANY BENEFITS FILTERED FROM ITS 'ACCOUNT', IT IS NOT JUST THE SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK ONE RECEIVES UPON RETIREMENT OR UPON THE AGE THAT ONE IS ALLOWED TO START COLLECTING THESE BENEFITS, BUT MANY BENEFITS.

Lindyy

My dad filed for Social Security over a year ago. He's a veteran with diabetes and he's going to lose his feet. All he did for work was drive. He can barely walk anymore. They still haven't given it to him. The system sucks.

Curious,

I understand your frustration. There is a long process and a lot of paperwork.

It might be that since your father was a vertern, there may be an issue that his benefits would be covered under his VA Benefits.

I suggest that you father keep on top of this - remember the old saying "The wheel tha squeaks loudest gets the most oil."

Lidyy

He's getting a Social Security lawyer, so he should be getting a court date soon...Yeah, I know it takes forever...

Curious:

Well, patience is a virture. Hang in there.

bull**** being a vetern is a cop out. if you worked and paid taxes you qualify. being a vet is a bonus, the system needs fixed it takes to long for the aveage person to get help

nu2:

I don't understand eveything. Basically I did this so people could understand what all is taken out of social security, since there is an issue of a crisis and/or possible shortfall.

I do think curios' father is headed in the right direction. My only thought was that perhaps it had to do with VA benefits, which I claim in no way to understand.

Lindyy

Who DOES understand Social Security?

nu2:

I do remember somthing with my Aunt, who worked both for the governemnt and "normal" work (cannot come up what we, as everyday people do for employment). If I remember correctly, she could not collect social security as she was able to collect under a program the government offers. I could be wrong, but that is why I gave the suggestion about possibly being an issue with VA Benefits.

Lindyy

The only problem with the social security funds is that each president dips from it. If this would not happen the solvency of this program/s would be intact. As is the hype over the crisis is mostly propaganda, if you cause fear in the constituents you can lead them by the nose blindly to follow you. Social security is a fed program, even with the baby boomers coming up into age our youngsters that are coming of age will resupply it. People forget the population of our country is not going down it continues to go up. More people more social security tax. It is alot of hype. I know baby shrub used this fear tactic to get votes and I am sure many more will until the people realize it is hype.

As I did work for the government, I can tell you some of how this works. Social Security gathers the information of all that the person is eligible for and then determines if you would get more if you were on social security or the other insurance. If they can make it a combo they will. If you are eligible for more from the private/or other insurance then they will let the other insurance carry you. One or the other or both if it can happen. Most of the time another insurance is going to give you more than the social security anyway.

As for VA, they actually get very little from VA if anything at all. The government feels you get social security and they provide the health care so they have done their job. Plus you have access to the commissary which is lower prices for goods. I am not sure how much they get if injured while on duty. I did not get that far in my information.

Dragoness:

Must you always be negative. President Bush is NOT running for re-election.

And, if you read the begining of my post, it has been an issue with quite a few preseidents, including Clinton.

And, using common everyday sense, there are huge amount of baby boomers, myself one, who will be collecting social security soon, and there numberwise, not enough younger people who will be paying into the system to keep it properly supplied.


AND, if you read the information I used to start this thread, there are quite a bit of other benefits taken out of the social security "account" which is depleting the account, NOT just the checks people receive once they retire and are at an age they are able to collect.


Lindyy

Dragoness:


Thanks for the information. Like I said, I really do not know, so I could not state for sure. I just knew what was in regard to my Aunt.

Lidyy

the insolvency of the social security system comes from

congress allocating moneys for other programs nad not paying it back

the system is full of iou from congress

if they would leave the money alone and let it draw interest

there would be no problem

lmao dragoness we scare me sometimes

seems we sure agree a lot

but boy when we disagree

I am negative about baby shrub, as he is the worst president in our history, no discounting that.

As for social security it is a sound program if presidents will stop dipping from it. There are plenty of people to replenish the social security pot. There is no worries there. It is a bunch of propaganda. Fearmongering is a great way to influence. If you look at most of the successful dictators in our history, baby shrub included, you will find they used fear to have their way with the people. Sorry to whoever that offends, it is not anything I would not say or have not written about publicly so the baby shrub can see and know. I have no fear.

As for the other programs that are on the list some of them are fed into programs also. TANF is replenished with child support. A mother or father on TANF reports the absent parent and when they get ahold of the absent parents income the TANF funds are fed back into the program. Hundreds of thousands of dollars each year are fed back into that program through this process. I know that to hear the right wingers spout off about all those people on welfare bleeding us dry, you would not know this but I worked for the government in this capacity and know for a fact. Just like the illegals that cannot receive any benefits from the government through federal laws that were in effect prior to Illegals becoming an issue. Illegals get no benefits from our government, period. I determined eligibility for these programs personally and know this first hand. But to hear all of the racist, hatefilled propaganda you would think they bleed our system dry also and it is bullsh*t.

You are right on that one. Two passionate people on different ends of the spectrum can cause fireworks but I still like you

I can tell you from watching it happen, that if there is a question between a private insurance group (this includes medicare and medicaid as well) and va, the veteran is required to go through va first. Why this is so, I have not been fuly able to understand, but htta is how it is.

My ex-wife was covered under my medicaid when she almost killed herself (self-mutilistic). Needless to say I took her to the closest hospital. Medicaid refused to coverher until AFTER she ahd gone to the va hospital (which was further away) and exhausted all assistance from them first.

Now, dont misunderstand me. Medicaid paid for the initial visit to the first hospital, just until she was no longer in any immediate danger. Then everythign stopped. BUT, because she is a veteran, the "civilian" hospital and insurance turned her away and told ehr to go to va.

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/BudgetChartBook/charts_R/r4.cfm

states ss tax now account for 35% of all revenue

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/BudgetChartBook/charts_P/p7.cfm

a chart of projected spending on entitlements
(medicare, medicaid, and socail security)

2005 shows less than 12%

then it goes on to say that these programs will likely triple

well 3 x 12 = 36

how about that 1% over the amount of the monies taken in now

don't you just love the govt

kinda makes ya like the song govt personnel by tesla

Government Personnel Lyrics
Artist(Band):Tesla
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Go straight to hell,
All you government personnel,
Sittin' awf'ly well
In your big, white house up on the hill.

You say now, give me a home
Where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and antelope play.
You can bet your ass we'll blow them all away.

**** it up until it's bent,
Then a-wonder where it went.
Thinkin' you was a-heaven sent, ha ha ha,
You're nothin' but hell!

Go straight to hell.

Medicaid will always have a client access their other insurance. They do that to keep costs down. Medicaid only covers certain people also. Not all are eligible for Medicaid. Like all government programs they have a yearly budget and they do all they can to stay in the budget, that includes having clients access any other possible avenues they have for medical coverage.