Why does AARP focus on frothy topics when Medicare and Social Security are under threat??

[SarahS477664]

Top story in AARP this month is a full spread on pain management, with scant mention of shortfalls to Social Security and Medicare - they garner only the barest mention on the bottom of page four?? A story on entering Sweepstakes gets more comprehensive coverage?

Threats to seniors' well-being are numerous, food insecurity, housing, care, funding cuts to senior programs; the gutting of research for diseases and health issues directly affecting many of us?

In a time when current Department of Health and Human Services spewing vaccine quackery? 

We deserve better, more thorough coverage of things that affect us and that matter.

What happens in Washington matters. 

PLEASE AARP, pull your head out of the sand and report on the stories that affect us.

[SereneSeagull]

I second what GailL1 said below.  I’d like to add that the party in office now is who won the election.  If those people that voted for this administration don’t like what’s happening, they can tell their Reps, Senators, and maybe change how they voted last time. I’m of the opinion that you get what you voted for.  If they got grifted, well, more than enough people warned them!  Unfortunately, it affects ALL of us.

As far as why no front burner AARP articles, there has been.  Maybe not as many as I’d like, but they have had some.  You’ll also see the complaints on these in discussion saying AARP has become too political for said articles!  Can’t win.  It takes us all to create outrage on this topic.  I feel you though.  

[GailL1]

@SarahS477664 

The shortfall in the Social Security Trust Funds has been around since 2010 - we have known about it since that time - The SS Trustee Report has had the conclusion EVERY year since tha time.

Lawmakers have many options for changes that would reduce or eliminate the long-term financing shortfalls. Taking action sooner rather than later will allow consideration of a broader range of solutions and provide more time to phase in changes so that the public has adequate time to prepare.

Social Security Trustee Report Summary 2025  

That’s 15 years - Where has everybody been?  We have had numerous Commissions and special committees that have made suggestions during that time - both party administrations - We have had various bills put forth to rectify it (or make it worse)during that time period also.

SSA.gov - Office of the Chief Actuary's Estimates of Proposals to Change the Social Security Program... by date of submission

For each one of these proposals, the Trustees have done an analysis of how the subject proposal would affect the Trust Funds - positive or negative or some of both.

YET - NO ACTION - well, there has been changes in late 2024 / 2025 that made it worse - The Social Security Fairness Act and the change in the senior increase in deductible to reduce their taxes on benefits in the Big, Beautiful Bill.

Many of us here have talked about it ad nauseam thru the years on this very platform and others - You can read them if you want, they are still archived and come back to life occasionally.

YET - NOTHING

Will it get done ?  Who knows - plan ahead, change your budget forecast to 20% less from Social Security.

What happens in Washington??? - in this matter, not much if anything happens.

What would you like to be done?  It takes a majority or more to make any changes and thus far there isn’t any favor that is that high -