By COLIN M. STEWART
By COLIN M. STEWART
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
East Hawaii senior citizens met on Monday afternoon to weigh in on the debate over how to improve Social Security and Medicare. The meeting was part of a nationwide AARP effort, dubbed “You’ve Earned a Say,” to obtain feedback from the public.
About 25 elderly citizens came to the YWCA in Hilo to answer a series of questions and share their opinions as AARP prepares to lobby in Washington, D.C., to strengthen health and retirement security as the election season progresses.
“The AARP hopes to amplify the voices of our members throughout Hawaii,” explained volunteer Gerry Silva.
Attendees were asked to sit in groups and respond to questions using a wireless handset that would record their votes and provide totals on an overhead projector in real time. They were then given the opportunity to discuss their answers with their group, and an AARP volunteer was on hand to facilitate discussion and take down their suggestions.
Before the questions were presented to the groups, Silva gave a brief overview of the current challenges facing Medicare and Social Security.
“Within 12 years, there won’t be enough money coming into Medicare Part A to pay the full amount of hospital costs,” Silva said.
Nationwide, the number of Medicare beneficiaries is expected to double between the year 2000 and 2030. Meanwhile, health care costs continue to climb at a rapid rate. Currently, Hawaii beneficiaries alone spend $4,800 a year, or approximately 15.5 percent of their income on health care.
“I think it (Medicare) needs major changes, because the cost of health care is going too high,” said attendee Meizhu Lui, after the groups were asked to gauge the seriousness of the issue.
A 38 percent majority of the attendees agreed with Lui on the survey, saying that Medicare needs major changes.
As for Social Security, Silva said its problems aren’t quite as immediate.
“It’s not bankrupt. … If nothing is done, it can still pay full benefits for the next 25 years. And after that, it will continue to pay 75 percent benefits,” he said.
Currently, one in six Hawaii residents receives Social Security benefits. For one in four of those residents, Social Security remains their sole source of income.
A total of 65 percent of attendees agreed that minor changes will have to be made to ensure that Social Security will be around to help their children and grandchildren when they need it.
“They could increase federal withholding by 2 percent,” suggested Gary Oamilda, a retired, disabled veteran from Oceanview Estates. “We’d be damn fools to privatize it. … We can drive our ship, and not leave it up to somebody else.”
Once the AARP has concluded its initial surveys of the public, it will work with a pair of think tanks to come up with a variety of solutions to the problems facing Social Security and Medicare. Those solutions will again be presented to seniors through a variety of outreach efforts, and the solutions that receive the strongest support will be presented to leaders in Washington, Silva said.
People interested in contributing to the surveys may call a toll free line, 1-877-926-8300, or visit on the Web at www.earnedasay.org.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.