What Happened to Social Security in 2016?

Americans rely on Social Security for their financial security in retirement, and after a year of many changes to Social Security in 2015 , 2016 saw some of those changes reach final implementation, while some newer ones came to the forefront. This year has also set the stage for what is likely to become a more contentious debate in the years to come.

Help a Reader Out

Longtime reader and commenter Newdealfarmgrrrlll, who now mostly lurks, but stalks me on facebook has had a rough go of it, and I thought many of you might want to help out: I've been drowning in medical bills the last six years, and after yet another layoff two years ago and subsequent early retirement, I've depleted my savings and get constantly derailed by minor emergencies. Over a third of my monthly income goes to various debits paying down outstanding medical bills and insurance premiums.

Senate Democrats Will Introduce Legislation to Force Trump to Deal With His Conflicts

Five top Senate Democrats say they will introduce legislation when Congress returns for its new session in January that would force Donald Trump to sell off at least some of his assets and solve his complicated conflict-of-interest problems. Trump owns hundreds of businesses and has a broad range of financial interests, from traditional investments such as stocks and bonds to large real estate holdings to licensing deals in the United States and abroad.

Las Crucens weigh in on America’s future undera

Las Crucens weigh in on America's future under Trump administration LAS CRUCES - About twenty people gathered Wednesday in Las Cruces to share views on Donald Trump's impending presidency. Check out this story on lcsun-news.com: http://lcsun.co/2hPOUeu Randy Harris writes down the concerns of a group gathered at Peace Lutheran Church, part of the "Great Conversations" series of group discussions, Wednesday December 14, 2016.

Republican looks to overhaul Social Security

A senior Republican lawmaker wants to overhaul Social Security, the decades-old program that provides benefits to some 60 million retirees and disabled, with a plan to gradually increase the retirement age and slow the growth of benefits for higher-income workers. Rep. Sam Johnson, of Texas, the chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, introduced legislation just before the end of the congressional session last week that he said would "permanently save" the program while increasing some benefits for lower-income workers.

Florida Paid $26.2 Million In Medicaid Benefits To Dead People

A Florida agency paid an estimated $26.2 million in Medicaid benefits over a five-year period to dead people, a government watchdog reported Tuesday. The Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program continued paying people after they died because the agency didn't update beneficiaries' death dates or collaborate with other agencies that track deaths, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources Inspector General found.

Brownback selects a new state bank commissioner

A Kansas bank vice president and former adviser at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been appointed to be state bank commissioner by Gov. Sam Brownback. On Tuesday, Brownback said he was nominating Miki Bowman, of Council Grove, to lead Kansas' regulation of state-chartered banks and trust companies, savings and loan companies, mortgage businesses, supervised lenders and money transmitters.

Republican lawmaker looks to overhaul Social Security

A key Republican lawmaker wants to overhaul Social Security, the decades-old program that provides benefits to some 60 million retirees and disabled, with a plan to gradually increase the retirement age and slow the growth of benefits for higher-income workers. Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas, the chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, introduced legislation just before the end of the congressional session last week that he said would "permanently save" the program.

Donald Trump Jr. arrives at Trump Tower in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016.

President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview Sunday that his executives would run his business empire alongside his children, pushing back against charges that his vast real estate holdings would pose a conflict of interest for him in the White House. Trump has said he will leave day-to-day control of his business but has not yet offered details of how he intends to separate himself.

Sam Johnson Wants to Cut Your Social Security Benefits By a Third

For reasons that are a little unclear, Rep. Sam Johnson has decided to introduce a shiny new plan to reform Social Security when Congress meets next year. Johnson's idea of "reform" is to slash everyone's benefits, so this idea seems slightly suicidal - not to mention pointless, since Donald Trump campaigned very loudly on a promise not to touch anyone's Social Security.

Capito calls on Trump to join fight for miners’ benefits

Senator Shelley Moore Capito is calling on President-Elect Donald Trump to make the Miners Protection Act a priority in his first days in office. Capito voted in the majority in favor of the continuing resolution on Friday night to fund the government.

Paul Ryan isn’t ruling out Medicare privatization, and it isn’t just Democrats who are wary

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan speaks during a weekly news briefing December 1, 2016 at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. During the briefing, Ryan repeated comments indicating that changes to Medicare would have to accompany any effort to repeal and replace President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan speaks during a weekly news briefing December 1, 2016 at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. During the briefing, Ryan repeated comments indicating that changes to Medicare would have to accompany any effort to repeal and replace President Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.