Some lawmakers are advocating for paid leave legislation that would require new parents to trade their future Social Security retirement benefits for twelve weeks of parental leave. This would undermine the mission of the Social Security program, increase its insolvency, and permanently cut the retirement benefits of those who take paid leave. Do you think this is a responsible proposal?.If Congress does nothing and the Social Security disability trust fund is allowed to become fully exhausted, there will still be payroll taxes coming into the program, but 11 million disability beneficiaries would see their benefits automatically cut by about 20%, according to the Congressional Research Service.[2] The reallocation of payroll taxes from the retirement trust fund is likely to gain increasing attention from Congress in coming months, although it's unclear when or if Congress will act..The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is expected to appear on the House floor for a vote by November 16th the day before lawmakers adjourn for an eleven-day holiday recess. In the meantime, Republicans in the Senate are working on their own version that would likely keep the medical expense deduction intact. At the time of writing this week's update, the text of the bill had not yet been released, but a conceptual draft from the Senate Finance Committee is expected before Friday, November 10th..Perhaps the most ambitious effort on behalf of the Obama administration to fight Medicare fraud, abuse, and wasteful spending is the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The program will use networks of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers that form a partnership to provide increased accountability toward savings. MSSP is administered by CMS and will aim to bring together in partnerships up to 270 physicians, specialists, hospitals, and long-term care facilities across the country to participate in the program. If effective, the program will reduce healthcare costs by eliminating wasteful and inefficient practices that could save Medicare an estimated 0 million over the next four years..House speaker Paul Ryan's proposal to overhaul Medicare by providing beneficiaries a subsidy or voucher to shop for private insurance on a federal health exchange has been included in House budget blue prints numerous times, but voters are overwhelmingly opposed to the idea. The plan would give private insurance plans a greater role in Medicare, and beneficiaries would be given a subsidy to shop for insurance coverage. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the plan would shift a growing share of the costs to beneficiaries..With the end of the 2021 fiscal year on Sept. 30 fast approaching, they face a massive workload if they hope to finish by then. Technically, they are supposed to pass legislation funding the federal government for fy202No one expects that will happen but they still must pass a "continuing resolution" which will keep the government going for an additional period, giving them time to pass the new budget. If they don't do that the government will shut down.."Relief From Deportation: Demographic Profile Of The DREAMers Potentially Eligible Under The Deferred Action Policy, Migration Policy Institute, August 2012..Compare that to retiring early at age 6She'll lose ,437 in Social Security income. Her starting benefit will be permanently reduced by 25% to ,225, and even with receiving benefits over more years she'll receive only 3,228 over the course of her retirement. Her final benefit would be ,438.."Importation of Drugs into the United States From Canada," Nigel S. B. Rawson, PhD, Louise Bender LLD, CMAJ, June 19, 2017 posted on the National Institute of Health website. "Florida Wants to Import Medicine From Canada. But How Would That Work?" Selena Simmons Duffin, NPR, June 18, 2019.
