Hospital Insurance Trust Fund
Candlefocus EditorThe Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund is basically an accounting mechanism that allows the government to keep track of the securities it needs to back the program. These securities include government bonds and notes, which are held in a trust fund and are invested conservatively.
Every worker in the United States pays a Medicare tax that goes into this trust fund, both when they’re working and while they’re retired. The tax amount is a 2.9% payroll tax on all wages. That amount is split between the employee and their employer, and goes to help fund Part A of Medicare.
As the baby boomer generation begins to retire, the amount of money coming into the trust fund is outpaced by the amount of money being spent on Medicare services. Furthermore, regulations have been put in place that have lowered the amount of money coming into the trust fund. As a result, the trust fund is expected to be depleted by 2026.
Once this occurs, the trust cannot pay out full benefits and there will be no new funds allocated to the trust from the federal budget. This means that those who have already retired, or will retire in the near future, could be impacted by the declining resources of the trust fund.
Though Congress could create new legislation to fund the trust or find other ways to extend the life of the trust fund, nothing has been done to safeguard the future of the fund. However, both the House and Senate are currently looking at solutions to help extend the life of the trust fund and preserve full benefits for retirees.
In the end, the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund plays an important role in providing health insurance coverage to retirees. It is a crucial part of the Medicare program, and its significance cannot be overlooked.