Not that I disagree, 1.3% does seem fair. But to be clear, COLA is a lot more than prices. Rent, transportation costs, medical costs, education, etc. lots of different things go into calculating COLA.
SSA uses the CPI-W instead of the CPI-U which may be more beneficial to Claimants.
Categories
Food and Beverage 16.4 Housing 39.2 Apparel 3.7 Transportation 19.4 Medical Care 5.4 Recreation 5.9 Communication and Education 6.1 Other goods and services 4.0
As you see the weighted areas are not reflective of a retired aged or disabled person with medical weight lower than recreation. Transportation is also much higher weighted than one would think.
CPI-E which is an index for the elderly might be more appropriate given its difference in weighting.
cue the cries for those living on a "fixed income." Once again, the raise for SS recipients is equal or greater than most raises available for people working.
Did anyone notice the disclaimer at the bottom of page 2 and think it odd? Press release produced and disseminated at US taxpayer expense. After all, it is a SSA press release. Who else would be paying for it?
@1:05 you also have to cue up the reps as they get the jet engine whine going about not getting a COLA increase for all the hard and diligent work they do submitting electronic duplicates all day, sending in OTR briefs with the wrong doctors on it, left over from the client before on the template, spelling errors, and not knowing the primary care physician.
Better than nothing.
ReplyDeletePrices haven't really gone up, it seems fair.
ReplyDelete(Please delete my previous comment as I meant for it to be anonymous.)
@11:42
ReplyDeleteNot that I disagree, 1.3% does seem fair. But to be clear, COLA is a lot more than prices. Rent, transportation costs, medical costs, education, etc. lots of different things go into calculating COLA.
SSA uses the CPI-W instead of the CPI-U which may be more beneficial to Claimants.
ReplyDeleteCategories
Food and Beverage 16.4
Housing 39.2
Apparel 3.7
Transportation 19.4
Medical Care 5.4
Recreation 5.9
Communication and Education 6.1
Other goods and services 4.0
As you see the weighted areas are not reflective of a retired aged or disabled person with medical weight lower than recreation. Transportation is also much higher weighted than one would think.
CPI-E which is an index for the elderly might be more appropriate given its difference in weighting.
cue the cries for those living on a "fixed income." Once again, the raise for SS recipients is equal or greater than most raises available for people working.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone notice the disclaimer at the bottom of page 2 and think it odd? Press release produced and disseminated at US taxpayer expense. After all, it is a SSA press release. Who else would be paying for it?
ReplyDelete@1:05 you also have to cue up the reps as they get the jet engine whine going about not getting a COLA increase for all the hard and diligent work they do submitting electronic duplicates all day, sending in OTR briefs with the wrong doctors on it, left over from the client before on the template, spelling errors, and not knowing the primary care physician.
ReplyDelete