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Comments of National Academy of Social Insurance to House Ways and Means Committee on Chained CPI and Other Benefit Adjustments (PDF)

"The chained CPI would result in substantial benefit cuts for beneficiaries, especially as they grow older. Older beneficiaries rely more heavily on Social Security than do younger beneficiaries. NASI's public opinion research finds that, given a range of policy options, Americans prefer to gradually raise Social Security taxes and to improve benefits slightly for vulnerable groups."

Call for Proposals: Innovative Projects to Strengthen Social Security for Vulnerable Populations

Excerpt: The Ford Foundation has asked the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) to serve as a regranting agent as part of its work on improving long-term economic security for low-income individuals. The purpose of the project is to support constituency building, education outside of the beltway, and user-friendly, research-based information to strengthen the adequacy of Social Security for vulnerable groups[.]

Call for Proposals: Innovative Policies to Strengthen Social Security for Vulnerable Populations

Excerpt: The National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) is launching the Social Security Innovative Policy Program to generate innovative policy analyses of options to strengthen Social Security for vulnerable populations. Scholars and analysts are invited to submit proposals from such varied disciplines as political science, law, actuarial science, sociology, social work, economics, psychology and philosophy. Project results will be shared with the new administration and Congress early in 2009, and may help to inform the debate over the future of the Social Security program.

Overcoming Barriers to Retirement Security for Women: The Role of Social Security (PDF)

16 pages. "Enhancing Social Security benefits would be an effective strategy for improving women's retirement security -- especially for women 75 or older, who face a significantly greater risk of poverty than their male counterparts. Expanding benefits would require increasing system revenue beyond what is necessary to close the projected long-term shortfall. Provisions that increase benefits for low earners, caregivers, or older seniors, or modernize benefits for certain marital statuses such as the divorced and survivors, would address the challenges that women particularly face."

Administrative Solutions in Health Reform (PDF)

77 pages. Excerpt: This report is the product of a two-year study panel convened jointly by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). It examines the administrative functions that are central to a variety of health reform proposals, defines the choices, summarizes what is known about them, and makes specific recommendations. The panel's recommendations fall into seven categories: planning and coordinating implementation of health reform, subsidizing health insurance premiums and cost sharing, administering health insurance mandates, regulating health insurance, restructuring health insurance markets, designing administrative organizations, and simplifying administration and controlling costs.

A Longevity Insurance Benefit for Social Security: An Innovation from the Past

"A longevity insurance benefit as part of Social Security would be particularly desirable as part of a reform package to restore solvency if the package also included a reduction of benefits, such as raising the Normal Retirement Age. The longevity insurance benefit would reduce or eliminate the adverse effects of such a cut on the most vulnerable age group. A simple form of such a benefit would be to exempt persons age 82 and older from any benefit cuts."

Ten Working Papers on Key Administative Issues in Expanding Health Coverage

Excerpt: This project examines the management and administrative issues that are likely to arise as part of efforts to expand health coverage. It is the product of a study panel convened jointly by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI).

Remembering Uwe Reinhardt

"Uwe E. Reinhardt, James Madison Professor of Political Economy and professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, passed away on Monday, Nov. 13, at the age of 80.... As a Founding Member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, Uwe was extraordinary in his commitment to our mission, and he made a number of significant contributions to the Academy's work."

Social Security at 90: Policy Options for Strengthening the Program's Finances and Avoiding Automatic Benefit Cuts (PDF)

30 pages. "[R]evenue increases for Social Security have strong public support and would allow lawmakers to address solvency without worsening seniors' economic security.... [U]nless lawmakers adopt a package that would rapidly bring significant revenues into the system in the coming decade, they may need to consider some form of general revenue financing on at least a temporary basis, as a stopgap measure to avoid substantial benefit reductions in 2034."

Americans Make Hard Choices on Social Security: A Survey with Trade-Off Analysis (PDF)

72 pages. "[R]ather than maintain the status quo, 71% of respondents would prefer a package of changes ... The preferred package would: [1] Gradually, over 10 years, eliminate the cap on earnings that are taxed for Social Security.... [2] Gradually, over 20 years, raise the Social Security tax rate that workers and employers each pay from 6.2% of earnings to 7.2%.... [3] Increase Social Security's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) ... [4] Raise Social Security's minimum benefit so that a worker who pays into Social Security for 30 years can retire at 62 or later and have benefits above the federal poverty line ... These four changes together would eliminate 113% of Social Security's projected long-term financing gap[.]"