This (Economic) Shoe Just Doesn’t Fit
UPDATE: Since this post went live in June 2008, the state of Social Security benefits has been dramatically altered. Please refer to the information below for the most up-to-date news regarding the changes made to this important program. For further details on the COLA, visit www.ncoa.org.
On Oct. 16, the Social Security Administration announced a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 5.8 percent for 2009, the largest increase since 1982. Social Security COLAs are based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) over the past year.
In January, the COLA will be applied to the Social Security benefits of over 50 million Americans. The increase for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which goes to more than seven million beneficiaries, will begin on Dec. 31. The average Social Security benefit will increase $63 per month, compared with an average $24 per month increase in 2008.
—
Earlier this year, the Congressional Budget Office published a little-noticed estimate that forecasts seniors will receive just a 2.8 percent increase in their Social Security checks beginning in January 2009.
Despite the increase, at least five million people aged 65 and over will remain in poverty because senior costs are rising significantly faster than the annual Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
Between 2001 and 2008, Medicare Part B premiums have soared by more than 93 percent while the COLA has crept up just 19 percent, leaving many seniors on their own to cover all other rising costs. Part B premiums cover doctors’ visits, tests, and outpatient hospital care.
Although the COLA is intended to help seniors keep up with inflation, a recent study by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) that analyzed eight key expenditures found that people 65 and over have lost 40 percent of their buying power since 2000. Expenses such as home heating oil and gasoline have more than doubled since the beginning of the decade, while food staples such as potatoes and butter have increased by 47 and 39 percent, respectively.
A majority of the 48 million Americans aged 65 and over who receive a Social Security check depend on it for at least 50 percent of their total income, and one in three beneficiaries relies on it for 90 percent or more of their total income.
“Social Security is supposed to protect seniors in need – but with five million seniors below the poverty line, it’s clear the system is failing them,” said Shannon Benton, executive director of The Senior Citizens League. “If it’s true that a nation’s greatness is defined by how well it treats its most vulnerable citizens, then we must do a better job of protecting impoverished seniors.”
To help offset the cost of Medicare Part B, TSCL is lobbying for a change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) used to determine the COLA. The government currently calculates the COLA based on the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a slow-rising index that tracks the spending habits of younger workers who don’t spend as much of their income on health expenditures.
However, the government also tracks the spending patterns of older Americans with the CPI for Elderly Consumers, or CPI-E. By tying the annual increase in the COLA to the CPI-E, seniors would see much needed relief in their monthly checks.
If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it.
-Lori Woehrle
RSS feed for comments on this post. | TrackBack URI
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
I FEEL THE COST OF LIVING IS A SCAM FOR THE RICH. SENIORS CAN’T MAKE IT ON THIS UNJUST LOW COST OF LIVING RAISE. WHEN WE GET A RAISE IT RAISES OUR HEALTH COVERAGE. THERE IS NOTHING THAT HELPS US WITH GAS, UTILITIES, CLOTHING, RX, DOCTORS, FOOD AND OTHER THINGS TO KEEP UP CLEAN AND HEALTHY.
THIS COUNTRY IS IN FOR A BIG CHANGE.
THANKS TO THE POLITICIANS THAT GET FREE AND HIGH INCOME.
I HAVE ALWAYS SAID PUT PRESIDENTS ON THE FRONT LINE IN ANY WAR AND THERE WOULDN’T BE ANY WARS. THE SAME GOES ABOUT THE WAY THEY TREAT US SENIORS THAT HAVE PAID IN FOR YEARS. THEY REALLY DON’T GIVE A DAMN BECAUSE IT DOESN’T AFFECT THEM.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
These politicans need to be on disability for one month and see just how far disability doesn’t go.
How come we go to the aid of all the countries that hate us and forget about our own people who have worked hard and and have been in service to keep our country free like myself and are now on disability and live in poverty???? I’m proud of my country but its getting hard as I cant even get a penny to help me from the country that I was willing to give my life for.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
It is hard to believe that we will only receive 2.8 percent increase in 2009. Bush has bankrupted the nation.
It will be so good to get rid of him.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I’d just heard recently that we (SSA and SSD) were getting a big increase (4 point something), and now it’s back to 2.8. I am living on an extremely tight budget, no extras, but the costs of living just keep on rising. I live on canned tuna and Ramen noodles (even those are more expensive), and it won’t be long before I’m on catfood. If anything out of the ordinary happens, an appliance breaks down, etc., I just have to do without. I can’t afford to update my TV in 2009 so will just listen to the radio. The Dallas Morning News has gone up so I don’t buy it anymore. I’m thankful that DART decided not to raise its rates, because even that would have put a strain on me. The government needs to really think — this could be your mother or grandmother or older sister. Would you want her to live this way?
August 12th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I rely 100% on my Social Security Disability check for income, with a minimal amount of Extra Help from SSA and the State. Sometimes I feel I’d be better off NOT receiving a COLA because I expect one of these days I’ll be told I’m making TOO MUCH to qualify for any Extra Help, and will not be able to afford my medications, let alone living expenses.
Why even bother giving us a COLA if Medicare costs are raised more than the COLA? After the Medicare increases in premiums, co-pays and deductible in 2008, out of the 2.3% ‘raise’ (about $25), I was left with a whopping 35 cents a month to cover the ever-rising costs of living and eating. . .and this was BEFORE gas went up to over $4 a gallon. No longer being able to afford insurance or gas, I was forced to sell my car. Thanks, Medicare, for giving and taking it back. . .plus!
ALSO, we’re constantly being told by our government that seniors need to take care of and preserve their natural teeth, yet Medicare does not provide dental coverage, nor covers dentures for those who wear them or need them.
In reply to Pat above, trust me, cat food is actually more expensive than canned tuna. My old kitty eats better than I do. Once she’s gone, it saddens me to think I won’t be able to afford to ever again give another furbaby a home.
August 14th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I live on Social Security, which covers all my bills and expenses to live including car insurance, home insurance, etc. What is not covered is food, clothing, gas, car repair, tires, etc. Just yesterday I went for an oil change and had to put sway bars on my 7 year old car. I almost fainted at the $399 total charge. I was told that brakes will come soon, as well as tires. I do have an Annuity and small savings, which I was able to make money on. With interest on CDs down to 2/3%, and the market falling fast, that is all I had to supplement my SS. I am looking for a job, and volunteer at the local hospital, perhaps being able to get a job through their grapevine. My husband died almost two years ago, and thousands of dollars were spent on his end of life care. We had to cash in his life insurance to have home care for him, as I worked. Something is really wrong in this country. Our country is no longer run by the Government, but large corporations and lobbyists. I fear for all the upcoming children. What will be here for them? Thanks for listening…..
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
We blame all of our problems on George Bush. However, will we be so easy to blame Mr. Obama when the blame really lies in those you elect to Congress?
August 24th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I think it’s a downright shame that the majority of us worked for many, many years, paid our taxes, gave to charity, and now when we are on SS, we get a pittance for a cola….Why not break into some of the funds that non citizens of America get when they come here or get in dire straights? I was always taught to take care of your own…Our goverment sure isn’t looking out for or is concerned about our senior citizens…..In Washington, they must all think all the seniors must be senile and can’t add and subtract figures…give us a 2 percent raise and go up on Medicare 1.50 percent…..I am totally disappointed with our congress people…they are spoiled to the core. However, we can get their attention at the polls when we take their free rides away from them.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
The annual Social Security cost of living adjustment is figured on the rate of inflation during the third quarter of the year, which doesn’t end until Sept. 30. It’s not 2.8% or 4% or whatever you now think it could be. It will be based on numbers that aren’t finalized yet.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Cybrgeezer — Although i respect your comment, common sense tells us that the government isn’t going to give us a decent increase. They keep looking for ways to keep it at 2+ percent. So you are right, we will see, but I don’t plan on much more than the 2.8%. I am 64 and not involved with medicare yet, but after that I could be eating tuna also as a mainstay. Kind of bursts the bubble on the American Dream of retirement. When we started working, we weren’t told to save, save for our retirment, 401k or otherwise. And look the situation we are in now.
September 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
WITH THE RISING COST ON ALL THINGS…. FOOD, GAS. MEDS. ETC., THE COLA SHOULD REFLECT THEM. A RAISE THAT IS ADEQUATE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE ILLEGALS AND THOSE THAT NEVER PAID IN SHOULD NOT GET ANYTHING. SEND THE ILLEGALS BACK TO THEIR HOME AND GIVE US BACK OUR HOME. WE HAVE PAID FOR IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WITH THE BLOOD AND SWEAT OF OUR BROW. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THAT MEANS US AMERICANS.
– DIANA BUCKINGHAM, AN AMERICAN AND DAMN PROUD OF IT, BUT CHARITY STARTS AT HOME.
September 6th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I cannot believe with all the added expenses and increases we, the seniors and taxpayers of this great country, are looking to receive the pitiful 2.8 increase in our already inadequte social security checks. I agree with one of the above comments — let our collective government officials try to live on social security for a year and see how they like it. Remember, ladies and gentlemen, who gave you those plush jobs in the first place. Also, I agree with another comment, that the cola increase comes at the end of September, so I hope that what I am reading is just a mistake. Remember we are a large majority and our votes count.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Guys & Gals
The annual Cost of Living Allowance increase for both social security recipients and military retirees (like me) IS based on the Cost of Living Index.
This figure is published monthly, the next is due for release on Sep 16 for the month of August. The annual increase is based on the fiscal year 1 Oct to 30 Sep.
You can do a search and see the historical raises for the last 30+ years. In many cases they exceed 2.3%. Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, the cola was double digit. This year, so far, it stands at 6.2% and IMO will get to 6.4% by Sep 30.
By law, that is what the increase on 1 Jan of each year is based on, so unless we go into some drastic negative inflation over the next couple weeks, which won’t happen, you will see a 6+ percent raise come January 1st.
Do a little homework, go to the Consumer Price Index home page and look for the CPI-W figure..that’s what we will get…no more..no less.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
As a senior citizen on Social Security only, how in the world do our elected people in Washington D.C expect people on Social Security to get through this meager increase which is projected at 2.8%? To survive, everyone knows that any increase will be taken by increases in Medicare and supplemental insurance, so once again we go backwards instead of ahead. What in the world is wrong with the elected officials we sent to Washington? We can spend billions monthly on a war which we never should have gotten into. We are now only two tiered… no longer is there a middle class — it’s the rich and the poor. What a shame.
September 15th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Boy: here we are… I went looking for some news of the cost of living increase for 2009 and am I depressed… I saw 2.8% and then I saw someone say 6% — no more no less…. I don’t know where she was dreaming from, but wouldn’t that be a dream? I taught my children if you “work hard enough and long enough in this great country, you can be anything,” but then corporate America came in and made me nothing but a liar.
I am a demonstrator part-time at a local supermarket to help pay for my medicine… I see all the foreign people who speak no English SHOP WITH EBT CARDS for luxury foods, then GO ON THEIR WAY OUT TO THE SERVICE DESK TO PAY $$$$ FOR LOTTERY TICKETS AND SCRATCH OFF TICKETS to gamble $100s of dollars of government money…is this what we pay taxes for? While we all can’t afford to buy butter, cottage cheese, eggs, and WE have worked all of our lives in the USA?
September 15th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
To ronaldsommer
Where do you get this notion that the increase will only be 2.8%? Read what I wrote under post #13 right above your post. The current cola is now set for a 6.2% raise. Tomorrow morning, the cost of living for August will be announced which will most likely raise it even further. Around mid October, the total for the year will be announced..I expect it to be around 6.4% this year..unlike last year’s 2.3%.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
To clarify what I wrote above, the article posted above was posted on June 11th. If you read the first sentence, it indicates that the government was predicting a 2.8% cola increase. The problem here is that that prediction was done back in December 07 when inflation was well under control.
By the time this article was posted, the cola had already jumped to 4.5% based on the CPI for May. In June it jumped to 5.7 and in July it went to 6.2.
Tomorrow we will know what it was for August and in mis October we will know what it was for the entire fiscal year and what our cola on 1 Jan 09 will be.
Our cola increase in based on CPI-W as mentioned above. The CPI-E was an experimental CPI used to see what elderly americans were spending. Of the 200+ categories and thousands of items that are tracked, including medical costs and insurance, the overall difference between 1995-2000 when this test was run was only 2.9% in favor of the CPI-E over CPI-W.
For whatever reason this system was not adopted and we continue to get cola’s based on CPI-W.
So the bottom line here is that right now we are set to receive at least a 6.2% cola increase. Most likely a little higher once August and September are added in.
September 16th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
2.3, 2.8, whatever COLA we get you can bet they’ll up medicare so the increase will be negligable. And there’s bigger implications if, in some alternate universe we were to get 6.2%
I get $10 a month too much to get any help from the state I live in. I am fortunate enough to get about 10% help from the government for my medical insurance (cruddy Medicare HMO, but slightly better than nothing) – and it’s still over $120 a month, with the government help. Let’s face it, for all it costs, medicare is on its own, almost worthless for those of us watching every penny – even WITH insurance I can’t afford to see the doctor.
When the government and medicare, in their infinite *cough* wisdom decided that certain meds weren’t covered anymore because they’re not “necessary” (benzo’s – ALL of them plus many other meds), they put yet another burden on millions of disabled and senior Americans because now we get to pay for that completely out of pocket – no co-pay or deductible.
Don’t know about where all of you live, but in my state some of us almost fear the COLA. Why? Because of living in low-income disabled/senior housing. It’s a long hard process to get in, waiting list is about 3 years long. There is also an income limit. The limit is $20k a year. That housing takes 30% of your SS/SSD check as rent. Regular rents in this area are at minimum $800 plus utilities.
I still don’t understand why, when the government takes close to (and will probably be over in 2009) $100 for medicare out of your check before you even see it, they still count that in your end-of-year statement as part of the total you received. When you’re not receiving it – they’re taking it away!
As you’re going HUH?, let’s say you’re getting $1,200 a month; you’re really only getting $1,100 a month after medicare … but if you apply for help, low-income housing, etc., it’s the $1,200 figure that counts. Nobody takes the medicare fee into consideration.
a small COLA = more hardship … period
a large COLA = actually, probably at least as much if not more hardship … as in people being told they’re ineligible for help from the state/government and possibly being told they’re no longer eligible for disabled/senior housing; oh and let’s not forget a large COLA may mean for all of us who don’t have to file federal income tax? some of us could end up getting “bumped up” just enough, having to file and PAY TAXES on our SS.
Whatever the increase, it certainly won’t be enough to cover living expenses. Not in this day and age where even the $1 store isn’t $1 anymore.
Especially if it’s just enough to push you over the limit of being able to get help, but not enough to help you be able to actually LIVE instead of EXIST.
September 17th, 2008 at 11:06 am
As it turns out, the CPI for August actually went down overall. Now the end of year cola increase is set to be 6% rather than 6.2. On Oct 16th, the CPI for September and the entire fiscal year will be announced.
As for an alternate universe, I’m not sure why people continually complain regardless of what happens. A higher cola is a good thing, for those that are living in places that have maximum income requirements, having a smaller cola is not the answer. The answer is getting ahold of your state legislature and get those housing requirements changed.
As for the cola increase, whether it pays the increase in expenses for the year depends on where you live and the cost of living in that area. I can believe that in places like NYC, Hawaii, Alaska and other high end places, the cola doesn’t count for much, but there are plenty of locales where it does just fine.
Also remember that when cola is determined, it looks at thousands of items in over 200 categories. While some areas increase, others decrease. In this case for August, the overall change was a decrease.
The downside here is that one person’s primary costs may in fact be in those areas that have increased, and until the system is changed to reflect what elderly folks have to pay, we are stuck with this system.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Suicide is an option to our plight…why doesn’t the govt just shoot everyone 65 and older.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Reading #13 #17 & #19 from Sabre – Your posts are positive… Thanks for the post, hope our increase is in the 6% area that will help everyone.
Regarding #20 – “SUICIDE” -definition – A permanent solution to a temporary situation…..Try to give yourself and everyone else a bit of positiveness. Times are hard for everyone – young and old – your remark “Shoot Everyone 65 and older” is absolutely uncalled for.
You, ME, and other probably didn’t prepare for our retired years. I moved to Costa Rica – a hard thing to do, but it was necessary for me, BECAUSE I didn’t prepare as I should have. I’m am living very well on my Social Security here in Cost Rica….I wasn’t forced to move here because of the social security benefits……I moved here knowing my social security would go a lot further……..and I don’t blame the US Government – I blame ME! Chin Up -
September 29th, 2008 at 6:15 am
All the talk I’ve heard about this buy out or in, it’s all a joke!
We senior citizens won’t see a dime of it!
I haven’t even heard it mentioned.
I have heard we will get a raise of 2.9 or 2.5, well, we worked all these years to make some rich people RICHER!
October 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I think it is a shame that the cost of living increase is only 2.8 percent. What is a person to do that depends pretty solely on social security for their survival. This is supposed to be America, the land of the free and home of the brave. How many times were we told that we had the best opportunties in this country? Many of us including myself have worked at least 40 years and our social security is only about 50% of the amount of the wages we earned while working.
Our government always tells us to sacrifice. Do they? You bet not. Let’s see them try to live on 1200 a month or less. They would not be able to live in their mansions. No person in this country should have to live in poverty. Instead of giving handouts to these foreign countries we need to take care of our own people here. Have never in my 60 years seen anybody mess up this country like George W. has. Bill Clinton was a Saint compare to this wack job. Can’t wait for him to leave office.
October 11th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
All of you have said most of what I think. Exception… if we eliminated all expenses that are being paid to illegal immigrants, the government would have enough money to pay our national debt, give SS recipients a raise at least to the poverty level (the amount our government says is poverty) and pay for our medical and prescription drugs needed to continue living in this great country. Our country is not perfect, but it is so superior to so many others. God bless America and all it’s people in this difficult time!
October 12th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The country has been going down the tubes for many years. People just believe what they hear and not what is really going on with the world. We paid into Social Security all our lives and should get our retirement checks whatever they be. But, the elderly should also get medical help when needed, and not the illegals in our country. If you make just one penny over the amount they allot, you are not eligible for help. What a sad state of affairs for the GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE FREE, HA!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I wish this country would go broke and everyone here could live in poverty. This goverment sucks and republicans are all to blame. People are so stupid, if you don’t have millions you are a Democrat, but because of greed idiots vote for Republicans. Wake up people think ahead.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Have read all the comments and understand how you all feel. My gripe really concerns the fact that our government sees fit to give welfare aid to NON citizens, including FREE medical care. I know of at least four circumstances.
I have great compassion for all human beings, but when people who have never contributed a nickel in taxes receive financial and medical aid while U.S. citizens have to live in poverty……..this is outrageous.
Those elected officials owe those of us who served in the armed forces and paid taxes for better than forty years the right to a living wage.
We need to vote out those politicians who don’t truly serve us.
If it sounds like I’m mad, I am!
October 15th, 2008 at 10:32 am
The majority of illegal immigrants are hard working people whose jobs here in the United States contribute to our economy. They work for their families and for a better life just like the rest of us. Most would choose to become law abiding citizens if they could.
The true problem is that this situation is only going to get worse. Money for seniors, the environment, American Indians, and for health care coverage will be even tighter now that the government is having to bail out the banks. Greed by some people caused this economic collapse, only people who live marginally are the ones who will be hurt. Those guys on wall street who caused it will not.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Well said EB. There’s no need to pit the seniors and middle class against each other when they’re the very ones who stand to loose collectively. So no pointing fingers at immigrants, or medicare, or seniors blessed with longevity, as sources of excess, unwaranted spending. By the way COLA increase is 5.8% for 2009, in case you didn’t hear it.
October 21st, 2008 at 10:07 am
[...] this increase is more than the originally projected 2.8%, many senior advocates argue that this year’s COLA doesn’t make up for years of [...]
November 29th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I just hope we get a good raise — it would sure help me. I have to pay my bills, some one month then the others the next month. Yes, the rich wouldn’t know what to do for 1 day living in our shoes. It is sad. We can’t depend on America anymore.
December 7th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
How many just received their “New Benefit Amount” statement for 2009. My increase was only $41. Mom’s increase was $62. We both retired at age 62.
President Bush said that we were going to receive a $63 increase in 2009.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Well we made it to about 2009 and more in debt to servive than every.
With the medical cost going up there need to make a free on what Hospital’s,Dr’s,test, can be charged. This is where the greed comes in on health care. Med’s are out of line for the cost of them for greed. There a lot of med’s that will kill you. Dr’s don’t tell you all the side affects there is kickbacks from drug Companys with free be’s. Drug company’s don’t really want a person to know how bad some meds are. They would loose money. No they can’t afford to tell all the truth how bad some meds are. They say just sell,get patients some get depended on them.
Test and xrays are way out of site. I tell them I just take a test and not want to buy all there machines.
Medical services need to have dential,eye all coverage also. Government think if they keep u blind(can’t see read) and can’t eat u will starve to death and that is o.k. it isn’t therre family member.
Government always there for the other countries that don’t like us ( Gov says we need to) help them out. They no other country help me pay my bills,food,heat,clothing,auto’s. I have to buy them.
THIS NEED TO STOP it is costing our quality of life that could be better going out of this world.
January 17th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I thank God every day that I am healthy and not had to use my medicaid so far in life . I will be 70 this month and still run a small cleaning service which I work at every day,I had a knee injury a year or two back and could not find a doctor who would take medicaid in my area .The people I work for are elderly and on some kind of assintance as I am supposed to be .Now the thing I want to say here is about the things I see everyday in other peoples houses .I see these motorized wheel chairs that sit in the back room that has cost our government around 6000.00 a piece that are never used I say again 6000.00 A PIECE and are never used or something is wrong with them which no one knows who to contact to get them fixed.What is wrong with this picture .I know a lot of you out there really depend on these chairs but what about the ones who dont and get these cahirs anyway because the government pays for them with no cost to the person . Im sorry but I think this is the biggest waste of tax money ever spent .There is no way these things should ever cost this much .Must have been a big lobbist to get congress to pass on this .There are so many out hear who cant see or hear and you guessed it Medicaid or Medicare will not help with this at all .Whats wrong with this picture I am so angry about how we, on SS are treated .I try to live on 669.00 a month can any congress person do that
March 1st, 2009 at 6:55 am
Its all very frustrating for the seniors. My mom is in this position, plus she is paying back for a extra check they paid her. It’s good for people to say how they feel and the ones that act like nothing happening are obviously the Republicans or elitist Democrats that are liberal for the wrong reasons. As Al Franken puts it when he talks about Rush Limbaugh I wont say it, but Im’m sick of the rich and their stupid little “Hey if you want this to get better, pray, you got your good and you got your bad…” Hopefully Obama will get some of these. He will clean it up…
April 13th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I live in Calif. and dear Arnold Swartzy has taken away our COLA . I just got the notice Friday. We just got new state tax increase and now this. We could barely survive before. How are we supposed to survive now? He also took our Renters Credit last year. Do we think we will get one this year? He keeps sticking it to the poor while the rich keep getting richer.