Dual Threat: Social Security & Medicare Face 2033 Deadline

Money Explainers

What's happening with Medicare's funding? Social Security and Medicare are both in trouble. Find out why. Rising medical costs are impacting federal programs. Understand the ripple effect. #MedicareCrisis. #DualChallenge. #HealthcareCosts.

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00:00The nation's two cornerstone programs for older Americans, Social Security and Medicare,

00:05are both facing imminent financial shortfalls. New reports from their annual trustees,

00:10released by the U.S. Treasury Department, reveal that both programs will run short of funds to

00:15pay full benefits in 2033. This marks a concerning acceleration. As last year's estimate for the

00:22Medicare Hospital Insurance Fund was three years later, in 2036. The worsening financial outlook

00:29for Medicare is primarily attributed to higher-than-forecast near-term expenditures for

00:33hospitalizations among Americans aged 65 and older. While Medicare had previously seen some

00:39benefits from reduced hospital and home health costs following the pandemic, realized Medicare

00:44expenditures for hospital and hospice care in 2024 were higher than anticipated, raising the baseline

00:50spending going forward. After the depletion of its reserves in 2033, the Medicare Hospital Fund is

00:56projected to be able to pay only 89% of its scheduled benefits. For Social Security, the Old Age and

01:03Survivors Trust Fund's depletion year remains 2033, unchanged from last year's report. However, it was

01:10advanced by three calendar quarters within that year. This shift reflects a legislative change

01:15implemented on January 5 that increased projected benefits for some workers, further straining the

01:20funds resources. Once its reserves are depleted, the Social Security Fund is projected to pay only 77%

01:27of scheduled benefits. The Treasury Department, in a summary of the reports, emphasized that both programs

01:34continue to face significant financing issues. Crucially, the department reiterated that lawmakers

01:40possess options to reduce or eliminate these shortfalls. Stressing that taking action sooner rather than later will

01:46allow consideration of a broader range of solutions and provide more time to phase in changes so that

01:51the public has adequate time to prepare. The combined cost of the Social Security and Medicare programs is

01:57projected to rise significantly, from 9.2% of GDP in 2025 to 12.1% of GDP in 2049, and further to 13.2% by

02:072080. The majority of this increase is attributable to Medicare, highlighting the substantial financial burden that

02:14rising health care costs place on the system. Millions of Americans rely on these programs for their

02:20health care and retirement income, making their financial stability a pressing national concern.

02:25The simultaneous crisis facing both Social Security and Medicare underscores the urgent need for

02:30comprehensive legislative solutions to secure their future for generations to come. Money Explainers

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