What’s Going on With the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds?

The Social Security and Medicare Trustees released their annual reports. This virtual event discussed the current status of the major trust funds and potential policy reforms to improve their solvency. Policymakers need to act sooner rather than later to secure the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds, prevent abrupt across-the-board benefit cuts, assure a more sustainable debt path, promote faster economic growth, and achieve a number of important policy goals.



What’s Going on With the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds? featured remarks from Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee John Larson (D-CT), along with two panels of experts, one focused on each trust fund. The panelists also took questions from the audience.

Keynote Speakers:

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

Representative John Larson (D-CT)



Social Security Panel: 

Marc Goldwein, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Reid Ribble, Former Member of Congress (R-WI)

Kathleen Romig, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Moderator: Kate Davidson, The Wall Street Journal





Medicare Panel:

Michael Chernew, Harvard Medical School

Josh Gordon, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

Gretchen Jacobson, Commonwealth Fund

Erica Socker, Arnold Ventures

Moderator: Margot Sanger-Katz, The New York Times