I feel compelled to ask this question: With all the old folks dying....

[RussBLib]

...is there any discernible effect (yet) on the fiscal health of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

How many old folks have to die before the solvency of the programs is extended?

If all these folks in nursing homes are dying at a rapid pace, that removes them (or should remove them) from the rolls of those social programs.

So, perhaps paradoxically, the GOP pushes and pushes to kill these social programs, and yet, thanks to this "engineered virus", removal of all those old folks actually improves the health of those programs.

I feel dirty even thinking about it.

[hlthe2b]

1. Is this "explore the Nazi final solution" day?

Good gawd.

[snort]

2. More like Logan's walker.

[RussBLib]

4. I don't get that reference - can you explain? n/t

[temporary311]

8. A reference to the movie Logan's Run,

where people over a certain age are executed.

[RussBLib]

10. sad thing is....I saw that movie

goddamn it, I have to admit my memory is starting to suck

[genxlib]

12. I got your reference

Your efforts got a chuckle out of me.

Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. One GOPer (can't remember which one, possibly one of the assholes from TX)

did say it out loud, and hinted that it was a good thing that the old folks were being killed off because less would be spent on SS benefits.

[cayugafalls]

15. Dan Patrick, LT governor...nt

[LymphocyteLover]

18. I knew that was coming... they are such fucking Nazis

[LakeArenal]

23. Yes and Ron Johnson thinks it's patriotic

For old people to die for the economy.

[MineralMan]

5. Well, roughly 61 million people receive Social Security benefits.

So, the impact isn't that large, really on long term solvency for SS, so far.

No doubt, though, some Republicans think it's just fine if a lot of old people die. Of course, we all get old, don't we?

[Grammy23]

6. Yep. Their time in the barrel is coming.

Heh, heh, heh......some are whippersnappers now but they have no idea how fast the years go after you reach middle age.

[MineralMan]

7. Indeed.

[RussBLib]

13. wow...72 million on Medicaid; 61 million on Soc Sec; 44 million on Medicare

one in four families has someone on one of those programs

just looked it up

[virgogal]

27. Most on Medicaid are not elderly.

[Voltaire2]

28. You are likely double counting ss and Medicare.

Almost everyone on SS (not SSI) is also enrolled in Medicare.

[tavernier]

9. The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

But then again, I’m isolating and my community is very determined during this quarantine time.

[appalachiablue]

11. Yes and welcome to the Hunger Games kids

[Hoyt]

14. I guess, theoretically, it might reduce payments for SS, Medicare/caid, other factors equal.

But, other factors aren't equal. With people out of work, less money is going into SS and Medicare trust funds from employment taxes. Just before CV19, SS benefits were expected to require a 24% cut around 2034, unless Congress does something.

The direct impact from people dying probably isn't that much. Almost 3 Million people die in USA annually, so a lot of deaths are already cooked into these programs. 20, 30, 50 or so thousand more, isn't going to have a "positive" impact on SS, Medicare.

The economic aspect will have a much bigger impact. Less funds will be going into "trust funds" and for general taxes.

Honestly, if the economy is bad enough for long enough, don't be surprised if cuts to SS benefits (particularly those at higher end of benefits, which still isn't much) are proposed. Even taxing the hell out of the wealthy won't solve that problem.

[Midnightwalk]

21. Agree

High unemployment will reduce revenue to the fund.

[wishstar]

16. On other hand, minor children of Covid victims will start drawing Social Sec. survivors benefits

and there will likely be more people applying for their Social Security earlier, such as age 62 to 66 instead of waiting for their full benefit retirement age, esp. if they lost their jobs.

Also, there will probably be more applying to draw Social Security disability benefits where eligibility can be any age as long as they have worked enough for their age to qualify. In economic downturns with many layoffs, these applications have always increased as people with health problems can't find a suitable replacement job or in this case, their health could be adversely affected by Covid.

[RussBLib]

17. indeed

rarely does one "thing" have only one cause or effect.

The law of unintended consequences springs to mind.

[Hoyt]

22. Good -- although depressing -- points.

[smb]

19. That Looks Like Tweetolini's Plan

[procon]

26. Jeebus... That photo creeps me out with its Nazi era

sentiments. Die for the greater good of the fatherland!

Trump is a demented madman. Whoever (yeah, I'm looking at you, Steven Miller, you twisted Nazi!) approved displaying them on the White House in full view on the media, wants the public to know that Trump is willing to go that far to get himself re-elected.

[PufPuf23]

20. The situation is more than that.

There are folks that are just fine with receiving assets of their grandparents or parents rather than the assets going elder's retirement, hobbies, and medical care.

Businesses and individuals are drooling over asset they be able to buy at a discount.

Part of the volatility of the DOW are the wealthy bleeding cash into their pockets.

Just examples.

Opportunists all.

And so it continues.

[procon]

24. Even so, many of survivors of the corona virus

may not fully recover and be left with lifetime disabilities. All those folks will be eligible for Medicare. Also the surviving children whose parents died, will qualify to get benefits.

Even if the Medicare rolls see a slight decline due to elders who die, the lines are already forming for new enrollees.

[BComplex]

25. 24 replies to this thread and not one recommendation?

I'm doin' it.