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Congressman Charles Rangel

Representing the 13th District of New York

Social Security and Medicare

Enacted in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Social Security has served as the ultimate safety net for America's retirees.  This social insurance program was created during the Great Depression when pensions were almost non-existent and a majority of seniors were unable to support themselves after retirement.

Enacted in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Social Security has served as the ultimate safety net for America's retirees.  This social insurance program was created during the Great Depression when pensions were almost non-existent and a majority of seniors were unable to support themselves after retirement.

As a cornerstone of our society, Social Security guarantees that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will have a source of income to provide financial security and stability after you retire.  Year after year, it continues to deliver on its promise.

Thanks to Social Security, millions of seniors can live their lives with dignity and independence.  More than 55 million Americans, including over 87,000 retirees in our Manhattan Congressional District, rely on Social Security’s guaranteed benefits to put food on the table, stay in their homes and to make ends meet during their retirement.  Six in ten seniors rely on this important program for more than half of their income.

In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid were added to Social Security.  Much like Social Security, Medicare provides for seniors (65 and older) and individuals with permanent disabilities medical coverage which they might not be able to afford otherwise.  Medicaid is just as important as it is one of the most crucial safety nets for the most vulnerable among us.

Democrats have long stood by these vital programs by voting to strengthen it in the 1950s and 1960s and by preserving its solvency in the 1970s and 1980s.  However, in recent years, the Republican leadership in Congress has sought to undermine Social Security or destroy it by cutting the program's retirement and survivor benefits for American workers.  The Republican plan would divert four out of every ten dollars of the Social Security payroll contributions into private accounts.  This is unacceptable as it would threaten the ability of the Social Security Trust Funds to pay benefits to today’s seniors.

Another recent matter regarding Medicare has been physician reimbursment.  Congress allocates funds every year toward Medicare expenses.  The body that makes recomendations on that allocation is the Medicare Payment Advisory Comission.  If actual expenditure is greater than what had been predicted then that Comission informs Congress and Congress then allocate less funds toward payments for physician services the next year.  Current practice by Congress has been to enact a series of short-term measures called "doc fix".  These measures blocks the cuts that would usually occur and freeze the rates for one year periods.  This translates to physicians having increasing costs as time passes yet the reimbursment from Medicare remains constant meaning that they lose money.

I stand firmly with President Barack Obama in opposing any efforts to privatize these programs.  I reject the idea that the future of hard-working Americans should be subject to the volatility of financial markets as some Republicans have advocated.  We should not cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of gutting the lifeline that helps tens of millions of Americans to survive.  I promise to continue opposing any budget proposals that undermine Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Congressman Charles B. Rangel's Legislation:

Narrowing Exceptions for Withholding Taxes Act of 2013, H.R. 348 (Sponsor)
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means
Amends the Internal Revenue Code and title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) of the Social Security Act to require a shareholder of a subchapter S corporation engaged in a professional service business to include all items of income or loss attributable to such business in determining such shareholder's net earnings from self-employment for purposes of computing employment tax liability.                                                                                       

3% Withholding Repeal and Job Creation Act, H.R. 674 (Co-sponsor)
Status: 11/21/2011 - Became Public Law No: 112-56 (Signed into law by President Barack Obama)
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities, to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs, and for other purposes.

Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010, H.R. 4994 (Co-sponsor)
Status: 12/15/2010 - Became Public Law No: 111-309 (Signed into law by President Barack Obama)
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to set the 2011 update to the single conversion factor in the formula for the physicians' fee schedule at zero (thus freezing the physician payment update for 2011). It requires the conversion factor for 2012 and subsequent years to be computed as if the zero update for 2011 had never applied.

Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act 2010, H.R. 3962 (Co-sponsor)
Status: 6/25/2010 - Became Public Law No: 111-192 (Signed into law by President Barack Obama)
This act provides a physician payment update and pension funding relief.

Videos:

 

More on Social Security and Medicare

July 29, 2016 Press Release

Washington, DC – Congressman Charles B. Rangel, who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, marked the 51st anniversary of the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 30, 1965.

June 24, 2016 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Rangel, who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, released the following statement in honor of the Anniversary of the King v. Burwell Supreme Court Decision, affirming the Affordable Care Act:

 

June 10, 2016 Press Release

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Charles B. Rangel, who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, released the following statement after the Social Security Administration changed its policy to protect same-sex couples who receive Supplemental Security Income:

February 9, 2016 Press Release

Washington D.C.Congressman Charles B. Rangel who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, responded to President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget proposal sent to Congress. The proposal puts forward a budget that builds the foundation for a strong American future – investing in innovation for the 21st century, advancing a world-class education system, and empowering hard-working families.

August 14, 2015 Press Release
New York, NY - Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement for the 80th Anniversary of Social Security, which has provided vital retirement financial security for 58 million Americans each year since the law was signed by President Roosevelt in 1935.
July 30, 2015 Press Release
Washington D.C. – Congressman Charles Rangel released the following statement on the 50th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid being signed into law.
May 27, 2015 Press Release
New York, NY--Congressman Charles B. Rangel and his wife of more than 50 years, Mrs. Alma Rangel, attended the 92nd Street Y's weekly Ballet for Older Dancers Class to take part in the 22nd annual National Senior Health & Fitness Day.
May 4, 2015 Press Release
New York, NY-- Congressman Charles B. Rangel and his staff joined Union Settlement at their Constituent Service Day in Union Settlement’s Community Room to assist constituents on casework with a variety of federal agencies.
April 10, 2015 Press Release
Congressman Charles B. Rangel hosted his first Constituent Service Day on April 9th at the Bronx Library Center. Also participating were SingleStop and IRS Tax advocates to provide free tax assistance to those in need.
March 26, 2015 Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Charles B. Rangel voted against the Republican “Work Harder for Less” Budget and issued a report on the full extent of the devastating impacts it could have on the people of New York.

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