Dude, where’s my Dude, where’s my retirement? retirement? Social Security & Medicare Social Security & Medicare Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D. Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D. Professor, UCLA School of Public Professor, UCLA School of Public Health Health Assoc. Dir., UCLA Center for Health Assoc. Dir., UCLA Center for Health Policy Research Policy Research [email protected][email protected]
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Dude, where’s my retirement? Social Security & Medicare
Dude, where’s my retirement? Social Security & Medicare. Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D. Professor, UCLA School of Public Health Assoc. Dir., UCLA Center for Health Policy Research [email protected]. Concentration of death in old age In 1900, 41% live to old age, in 2003 83% do. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Dude, where’s my Dude, where’s my retirement? retirement?
Social Security & MedicareSocial Security & Medicare
Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D.Steven P. Wallace, Ph.D.Professor, UCLA School of Public HealthProfessor, UCLA School of Public Health
Assoc. Dir., UCLA Center for Health Policy Assoc. Dir., UCLA Center for Health Policy ResearchResearch
Life expectancy at age Life expectancy at age 6565
12.2 12.1 13 14.216.2 17.112.2 12.7 13.6
15.818.4 19.3 20
11.5
1900 '20 '40 '60 '80 2000 '04
men womenSource: http://www.agingstats.gov
>50% increase in last century
Key QuestionsKey Questions
Why does Social Security exist?Why does Social Security exist? Will it be there for me?Will it be there for me? Aren’t private accounts better?Aren’t private accounts better? At least I don’t have to worry about At least I don’t have to worry about
health care costs, right?health care costs, right? Why do I need to organize?Why do I need to organize?
US lags in social US lags in social welfarewelfare
of socialist movement leads him to of socialist movement leads him to create first public pensioncreate first public pension
1891 Denmark1891 Denmark 1908 England1908 England 1910 France1910 France 1927 Canada1927 Canada 36 countries total by early 1930s36 countries total by early 1930s
17 states w/ 17 states w/ pensions, mostly pensions, mostly in CA, MA, NYin CA, MA, NY
50% of older 50% of older adults w/o adults w/o sufficient income sufficient income by 1932by 1932
Local aid Local aid overwhelmedoverwhelmed
New Federal RoleNew Federal Role
I see one-third of a I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourishedclad, and ill-nourished
… … The test of our The test of our progress is not progress is not whether we add more whether we add more to the abundance of to the abundance of those who have much; those who have much; it is whether we it is whether we provide enough for provide enough for those who have too those who have too littlelittle
Work-related, but portableWork-related, but portable Defined benefitsDefined benefits Age 65 chosen for benefits based on Age 65 chosen for benefits based on
actuarial calculationsactuarial calculations Only covered Only covered industrialindustrial workers @ workers @
first, then expandedfirst, then expanded
AssumptionsAssumptions
Male worker, stay at home Male worker, stay at home mothermother
Primary worker works full-time, Primary worker works full-time, continuously until retirementcontinuously until retirement
Three legged-stool of retirementThree legged-stool of retirement● Social Security Social Security ● Private PensionPrivate Pension● SavingsSavings
Elder Economic Security Elder Economic Security StandardStandard™™ index – LA index – LA
UCLA Center for Health Policy UCLA Center for Health Policy Research Reports, county data Research Reports, county data http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/elder_index08feb.htmlhttp://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/elder_index08feb.html
Insight Center for Community Insight Center for Community Economic Development, CA policy Economic Development, CA policy info info http://www.insightcced.org/index.php?page=california-elder-economic-http://www.insightcced.org/index.php?page=california-elder-economic-
security-initiativesecurity-initiative Wider Opportunities for Women, Wider Opportunities for Women,
national national http://www.wowonline.org/ourprograms/eesi/index.asphttp://www.wowonline.org/ourprograms/eesi/index.asp
More Social Security More Social Security principlesprinciples
Income adequacyIncome adequacy● Low-wage workers Low-wage workers
get higher get higher replacement ratereplacement rate
● If spouse has no If spouse has no independent independent earnings, gets earnings, gets 50% spouse 50% spouse benefitbenefit
Early retirement (age 62) and Early retirement (age 62) and normal retirement (age 65-67) normal retirement (age 65-67) provide, on average, the same provide, on average, the same lifetime benefitslifetime benefits
Early retirement benefits are Early retirement benefits are reduced to account for extra reduced to account for extra years benefits receivedyears benefits received
Full retirement age goes to 67 Full retirement age goes to 67 (for those born 1962 & later)(for those born 1962 & later)
Who gets Social Who gets Social Security?Security?
Family Family protectionprotection● RetireeRetiree● Widow(er)sWidow(er)s● SurvivorsSurvivors● DisabilityDisability
● U.S. Social Security = 0.6% vs. 15% in U.S. Social Security = 0.6% vs. 15% in UK private plansUK private plans
Investment risk is held by Investment risk is held by individualindividual● Poor decisions (e.g. invest in Enron, Poor decisions (e.g. invest in Enron,
invest in low yield savings account) invest in low yield savings account) hurt individualshurt individuals
● No inflation guaranteeNo inflation guarantee● You can “outlive” some plansYou can “outlive” some plans
How not to “fix” How not to “fix” problemproblem
Most privatization plans are worse Most privatization plans are worse forfor● Widows & women (who live longer than Widows & women (who live longer than
Transition costs (paying current Transition costs (paying current recipients plus putting money in recipients plus putting money in new accounts) are hugenew accounts) are huge
Who wins with private Who wins with private accounts?accounts?
Major financial Major financial firm backers of firm backers of privatization privatization would see profits would see profits zoom via zoom via underwriting underwriting charges and charges and commissions.commissions.
Eyeglasses, hearing aidsEyeglasses, hearing aids Dental careDental care Annual physical exams (after Annual physical exams (after
“welcome to Medicare” exam)“welcome to Medicare” exam) Long-term careLong-term care
● Medicare only pays for post-hospital Medicare only pays for post-hospital recovery, up to 100 days in nursing recovery, up to 100 days in nursing home, “reasonable” home health home, “reasonable” home health daysdays
Solutions?Solutions?
Employer provided Medi-gap is Employer provided Medi-gap is the bestthe best
HMOs often provide good gap HMOs often provide good gap coveragecoverage
Beware of plans to “save” Beware of plans to “save” Medicare!Medicare!
Best way to protect Best way to protect your retirement?your retirement?
Organize!Organize!
For example:For example: Alliance for Alliance for
National National Committee to Committee to Preserve Social Preserve Social Security & Security & Medicare Medicare www.ncpssm.org www.ncpssm.org
So where IS my So where IS my retirement?retirement?ConclusionsConclusions
In Social Security as one pillar of In Social Security as one pillar of income security in retirement, as income security in retirement, as long as it remainslong as it remains● Universal – risks shared by all, (almost) Universal – risks shared by all, (almost)
everyone has a stake in it, predictableeveryone has a stake in it, predictable● Public – low administrative costsPublic – low administrative costs● ““Adequate” – higher returns for Adequate” – higher returns for
poorest, indexed for inflation, benefits poorest, indexed for inflation, benefits for widows/ survivors/ disabledfor widows/ survivors/ disabled
So where IS my So where IS my retirement?retirement?ConclusionsConclusions
Social Security WILL be there for Social Security WILL be there for you, even if nothing is done to you, even if nothing is done to improve financingimprove financing
Privatization will benefit Wall Privatization will benefit Wall Street, not Main StreetStreet, not Main Street
Medicare is the key pillar of Medicare is the key pillar of retirement health careretirement health care● But you also need to fill in the gapsBut you also need to fill in the gaps
So where IS my So where IS my retirement?retirement?ConclusionsConclusions
The best investment for economic The best investment for economic and health security in retirement and health security in retirement is in working is in working togethertogether with others with others in this room & elsewhere to in this room & elsewhere to protect Social Security and protect Social Security and Medicare.Medicare.