(US) Medicare Trust Fund solvent until 2026 (good news!)

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According to the Trustee reports released today, the "Medicare" trust fund looks to have sufficient funds until 2026, which is better than 2024 in last year's projection.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/won ... es-report/

Social Security (inclusive) is projected to have sufficient funds until 2033, same as last year's projection.

yay? I still won't be able to cash in on them but I'll be forced to pay for them.

Could you elaborate please for this ignorant European? I'm 'forced' to pay for my health insurance as well, (with compensation for low income), but if I get some disease that would be really costly - say cancer treatment or bypass surgery - , the most I would have to spend in this year (could be different next year) is 350 euro. That's a third of one day hospital care. How would this be for you? Can you get ANY treatment that is medically necessary, no matter what the costs, for your 'forced' payments?

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Meaning that even if you are not eligible to receive medicaid benefits you still pay for it via taxation.

For Medicare, you have to be over 65, disabled, or have certain diseases. Medicaid is more generous, but only for people on low incomes.

I think both programs should be scrapped and replaced by a fair system which all can benefit from, but the current system is better than nothing.

I get Medicaid,and I do feel bad that other folks don't get the same chance to get health care.But I will say I am thankful I have it,So THANK YOU tax payers that have made it possible for me to afford my medicine and doctor visits.I'm not ungrateful.
And I get Medicaid because of a disability.

My parents are on Medicare...doesn't give me much hope.

Dad had both carotid arteries worked on when they were closing up. Years later, they followed up with sonograms. A couple years back, they were starting to close up again. Months later, he had a significant stroke (survived), but then when they did a more accurate test, they found they were pretty much totally blocked. I was outraged. What moron, knowing there is a history of trouble, opt for a LESS ACCURATE test? Apparently, Medicare does. Had they spotted the problem sooner, corrective measures could have been done and the stroke avoided, but it didn't happen.

More so, they won't take corrective action now. Granted, there is a risk of dying during the procedure, but the doctor quietly implied that the reason they couldn't do it is that Medicare wouldn't see a justification in a procedure where the patient likely would not live long enough to appreciate the benefit compared to the cost. The issue of QUALITY of life seems to be irrelevant.

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Expect that to be commonplace under any kind of national healthcare system and no effective and timely way to appeal anything that's bogus.

Well, if the right decides to keep cutting what benefits cover, it will.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

The right knows it actually has to be paid for somehow.

That's an easy one. Not only get rid of the Bush era tax cuts, but also raise taxes on those who can afford to pay them.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

It should be noted that tax bills of the 2001-2008 period did not change tax rates for the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.