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Retirement

The federal government devotes a substantial and growing share of its budget to benefits for the nation's retirees through Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs. According to CBO’s projections, federal spending on the “big three” benefit programs will grow from less than half of all federal spending in 2012 to three-fifths in 2023. CBO projects federal spending for those programs under current law for the next decade and for the longer term, and it analyzes a wide range of proposals to change those programs. (See Health Care for further discussion of CBO’s work on federal health care programs.) Additionally, the exclusion of pension contributions and earnings from taxable income constitutes one of the largest preferences in the federal income tax code. Together with the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, CBO analyzes the budgetary and economic effects of such tax preferences and potential changes to them.

Sub-Topics:

  • Medicare
  • Pensions
  • Private Health Insurance
  • Social Security

related publications


  • The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook

    September 17, 2013
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Testimony on The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook

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September 26, 2013

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Press Briefing on The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook

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September 23, 2013

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Medicare and Social Security Payroll Taxes and Benefits for People in Different Birth Cohorts

posted by Noah Meyerson & Julie Topoleski on September 20, 2013

related publications


  • The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook

    September 17, 2013
  • Why Has Growth in Spending for Fee-for-Service Medicare Slowed?: Working Paper 2013-06

    August 22, 2013
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Comment on “Is This Time Different? The Slowdown in Healthcare Spending”

presentation

September 19, 2013

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The Slowdown in Health Care Spending

posted by Doug Elmendorf on September 19, 2013

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How Does Social Security Work?

posted by Noah Meyerson & Sheila Dacey on September 19, 2013

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Why CBO Changed Its Approach to Projecting Mortality

posted by Joyce Manchester on September 24, 2013

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related publications


  • The Long-Term Budgetary Impact of Paths for Federal Revenues and Spending Specified by Chairman Ryan

    March 20, 2012
  • Long-Term Analysis of a Budget Proposal by Chairman Ryan

    April 05, 2011
  • Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care

    December 01, 2008
  • Designing a Premium Support System for Medicare

    December 08, 2006
  • Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid: Characteristics, Health Care Spending, and Evolving Policies

    June 06, 2013
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A Premium Support System for Medicare: Analysis of Illustrative Options

report

September 18, 2013

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An Overview of the Medicare Program

posted by Tom Bradley & Julie Topoleski on September 18, 2013

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related publications


  • The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook

    September 17, 2013
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Federal Spending on the Government’s Major Health Care Programs Is Projected to Rise Substantially Relative to GDP

posted by Julie Topoleski on September 18, 2013

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