AARP "Strongly Supports" New Obama/GOP Budget Deal

[99th_Monkey]

I keep hearing different things: "there ARE cuts to SS & Medicare in this deal" yet this says those cuts would be averted, and what the GOP gets is tougher SS qualification requirements and a new Fraud Squad" to investigate Medicare fraud. And HERE AARP is giving a "strong" endorsement of the deal. Anyone know if these cuts are really in the deal or not?

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AARP 'strongly supports' budget deal
By Sarah Ferris * 10/27/15 * The Hill

The powerful seniors lobby AARP announced Tuesday it will back a two-year budget deal that will go up for a vote as early as Wednesday.

AARP praised the plan, which was largely negotiated between the White House and GOP leadership, for averting major cuts in Social Security disability payments and a premium spike for Medicare Part B premiums.

“Your efforts to reach across the aisle and together find sensible solutions to significant problems are appreciated and commended,” Jo Ann C. Jenkins, the group’s chief executive, wrote in a letter to Congress that was obtained by The Hill.
House and Senate Republicans have said entitlement reforms are a major piece of the deal, though Democrats have maintained that there are no cuts to beneficiaries.

A key piece of the budget agreement — and one of its costliest provisions — staves off a 52 percent premium hike that would have hit 8 million Medicare Part B enrollees next year. The hike is the result of a glitch in federal benefits law, and the fix is estimated to cost nearly $8 billion.

The deal would also prevent a 20 percent, across-the-board cut in Social Security disability benefits for 11 million people next year, the result of a quickly drying-up trust fund.

But in addition to averting those increases, the measure would make some GOP-led changes to both the disability and Medicare programs. For example, it creates a new investigative unit to go after fraud and increases penalties on those who commit fraud in the system.

It also makes it tougher for new Social Security recipients to enroll, requiring two doctors, instead of one, to confirm that an individual has a disability.

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/258223-aarp-strongly-supports-budget-deal

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. The cuts match what the early reporting has been. n/t

[99th_Monkey]

2. What cuts?

this Hill article claims the 20% cuts have been averted.

The deal would also prevent a 20 percent, across-the-board cut in Social Security disability benefits for 11 million people next year,

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. My bad ... I mis-read your post ...

From what I have read of the deal, there are no cuts (despite what has appeared on DU) ... In fact, the deal was structured to as a legislative fix to PREVENT the cuts that would have occurred to the lack of COLA increase.

[Fred Sanders]

5. Most of the loomingcuts were as a result of The Sequester of 2013 which is being essentially lifted.

If AARP has had their experts examine the issue and they support the budget deal, that is all I need to know for now.

Not to mention the gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair on DU yesterday is now entirely in the enemy camp and on Fox.....so that is all I need to know as well.

[99th_Monkey]

8. Thanks for the clarification. -nt-

[liberal_at_heart]

3. They should be fighting for expansions to SS, not praising both parties for

reaching across the isle and finding sensible solutions to significant problems. I am so freakin sick of Democrats reaching across the isle. They have been doing that for over 30 years and all it has gotten us is cuts to our social programs, increases in military spending, and lower taxes for the rich.

[CharlotteVale]

9. +1000000. AARP can kiss my retired ass.

[geek tragedy]

10. Unfortunately, Republicans control both Houses of Congress, so Democrats have zero choice in the

matter but to reach across the aisle.

[onecaliberal]

6. The fraud and people applying who do not need it meme is complete bullshit.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. Really? I would say that people applying do not need the money ...

but, that is not to say they are program eligible or that there is not fraud.

[Hoyt]

11. Will any of yesterday's Obama bashers retract their posts? Probably find something to criticize him

[Lsmsc]

12. Looks like deeming and file and suspend are affected

See pbs news hour article. [link:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/houses-proposed-budget-bill-will-devastating-effects-millions-social-security-benefits/#.VjCjZwvEuBI.mailto|

[Octafish]

13. Hey, Wall Street-on-the-Potomac! Pay back what you owe SS.

Then there won't need to be:

... a 20 percent, across-the-board cut in Social Security disability benefits for 11 million people next year, the result of a quickly drying-up trust fund.

[99th_Monkey]

14. Well, Bush/MIC had to steal SS to pay for his illegal ME wars somehow -nt-

[Octafish]

15. I don't like how they spend it, either -- stuff that benefits themselves, like war and misery.

Know your BFEE: Social Security is a Side Show while Banksters Walk and You Pick Up the Tab