Only in Washington can Congress’s bipartisan efforts to combat fraud in Medicare and Social Security cause alarm from organizations claiming to be advocates for seniors. A recent AARP fundraising letter shows how much AARP fears congressional efforts to combat fraud in these programs. The AARP letter amounts to scaremongering among America’s seniors.
Congress is reasonably concerned about the national debt, estimated at $34 trillion. Spending cuts are one tool Congress can use to reduce debt. Another tool is tax increases. Neither approach is popular with voters. Other ways Congress can lessen the debt is to combat Medicare and Social Security fraud and reduce government administrative costs. These two ideas are popular with working Americans and some senior groups.