The government says Medicare's financial problems are getting worse and Social Security's can't be ignored.
Tuesday's report from program trustees says Medicare's giant trust fund for inpatient care won't be able to cover projected medical bills starting in 2026, three years earlier than previously expected. Social Security will become insolvent in 2034 — no change.
The annual checkup on the two bedrock programs serving millions of Americans is a reminder of major issues left to languish as Washington plunges deeper into partisan strife.
President Donald Trump says he won't cut Social Security or Medicare, but hasn't offered a rescue plan for the long run.
Democrats want to expand the safety net by spending more on health care and education.
