Letter: Gap in gov’t benefits will keep growing
At the end of 2014, 59 million people were receiving Social Security benefits: 42 million retired workers and their dependents, 6 million survivors of deceased workers and 11 million disabled workers and their dependents. Credit: iStock
The cost-of-living increase to Social Security of 0.3 percent next year is a joke [“$3.92 rise for Social Security beneficiaries,” News, Oct. 19]. For me, that will amount to about $3 a month.
I’ve been told my Medicare premiums and coverage options will increase by $38 a month. To add insult to injury, medical benefit prices are being raised for younger recipients versus older ones.
Clearly, the federal government has decided not to cut benefit payments, as that looks bad to voters. Instead, the government will give a small or no increase, while creating a two-tier system in which newer recipients pay more as the years go by.
Why don’t all recipients face the same dollar-amount increases? Will the government keep squeezing Social Security payments while increasing the gap between older and slightly younger recipients?
Therese Madonia, Farmingville
