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State of Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid Not
High on President's or Public's Agenda
State of Union address at 9 p.m. EST expected to have
little on "senior issues"
Jan. 31, 2006 Senior citizens concerned about the
future of Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid will probably not hear
much encouraging news from President Bush, when he steps before the
television cameras at 9:01 EST tonight for his State of the Union.
Health care cost is expected to get attention, but the proposals are to
be more about the health savings plans Bush introduced in 2003 that have
not, yet, caught on. Seniors are not eligible for these tax deductible
health insurance plans.
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If the speech addresses the top concerns of
Americans, it will certainly hit terrorism, education and the economy.
These, says a new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and
the Press, are the top three issues with U.S. adults. (See chart below.)
"As in recent years, defending the nation against
terrorism remains the public's leading priority for the president and
Congress. Eight-in-ten rate terrorism defense as a top policy priority,
which is largely unchanged from past years," the Pew report says.
"As was the case a year ago, improving education
and strengthening the economy rate behind protecting the country against
terrorism. However, the number rating the economy as a top priority has
declined significantly over the past year (from 75% to 66%). Roughly as
many now view improving the job situation as a top priority as say that
about improving the overall economy."
The Pew report says, "Several domestic priorities
have moved up on the public's agenda since January 2005. More than
six-in-ten (62%) rate reducing crime as a top priority, up from 53% last
year. That is the highest number citing crime prevention as a leading
priority since January 2001 (76%).
"Dealing with the nation's energy problem and
protecting the environment have both become more important priorities in
the public's view. A solid majority (58%) now says dealing with energy
is a top priority, up 11 points from January 2005. About as many (57%)
rate protecting the environment as a top priority; a year ago, 49% rated
environmental protection as a top policy priority.
"By
contrast, fewer Americans now view strengthening the military as a top
priority than in recent years. Overall, 42% rate strengthening the
military as a leading policy priority. From 2001 through 2005, about
half of the public consistently rated this objective as a top priority
(52% in 2005).
Medicare
It is hard to conceive that the President will not
mention the Medicare drug program, mired in problems since its January 1
beginning. Explaining how these problems are being addressed is almost a
necessity.
 He has been urged by many to also propose some
solution to the future costs of the Medicare program. It is not an easy
topic for him to approach, however, with massive cuts expected on
Wednesday in both Medicare and Medicaid when the House votes on the
final budget reconciliation bill.
The American Academy of Actuaries, in urging a
solution to Medicare's cost, points out:
"Total Medicare spending was $309 billion in 2004, or 2.6 percent of the
nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Medicare spending will likely
increase to 3.3 percent of GDP in 2006, and then is expected to double
to nearly 7 percent of GDP by 2030, continuing to rise thereafter. If
total federal revenues continue at their historical average of about 19
percent of GDP, and if no changes are made to the program, Medicare
spending will take up a third of all federal revenues by 2030."
But, in the Pew Poll, securing Medicare has dropped
from a high concern by 71 percent of the public in 2001, to only 62
percent in 2006.
Social Security has seen a similar swing. In 2001,
securing Social Security of rate as a top priority by 74 percent, which
has dropped to only 64 percent in 2006.
Just a year ago, Social Security was the center
piece of the State of the Union address. President
Bush said the words Social Security 18 times in the 2005 speech.
Bush said, then, One of America's most important
institutions -- a symbol of the trust between generations -- is also in
need of wise and effective reform. Social Security was a great moral
success of the 20th century, and we must honor its great purposes in
this new century. The system, however, on its current path, is headed
toward bankruptcy. And so we must join together to strengthen and save
Social Security.
Thus he began the introduction
to his reform plan that was supported by private investment accounts.
The proposal floundered badly and has been seldom mentioned in recent
months.
These senior programs were high
on the Bush agenda, when he addressed the joint session of Congress at
the beginning of his Presidency in 2001.
He mentioned Social Security 14 times and Medicare 12 times.
"Another priority in my budget is
to keep the vital promises of Medicare and Social Security, and together we will do so," he said in 2001. "To
meet
the
health
care
needs
of
all
America's
seniors,
we
double
the Medicare budget over the next 10 years."
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