Here's a graphic showing all the assets in addition to debts of the U.S. regime from an accrual perspective. Federal debt held yesteryear the public, the commons mensurate of federal debt, is well-nigh $10.2 trillion. "As of September 30, 2011, the Government held well-nigh $2.7 trillion inwards assets, comprised mostly
of internet property, plant, in addition to equipment ($852.8 billion) in addition to a combined full of $985.2 billion in
net loans receivable, mortgage-backed securities, in addition to investments." The large add-on hither is the $5.8 trillion inwards already owed inwards employee in addition to veterans' benefits. Taking these legal obligations into concern human relationship increases the government's liabilities yesteryear to a greater extent than than half.
What well-nigh futurity obligations for Social Security in addition to Medicare? Legally speaking, these are non legal obligations inwards the same feel every bit benefits owed to federal employees in addition to to veterans. The U.S. regime tin in addition to in all likelihood volition adjust the revenue in addition to spending side of Social Security in addition to Medicare. That said, the study does offering about estimates of electrical flow federal obligations inwards this area. Here are about numbers for Social Security in addition to the unlike parts of Medicare. The numbers are "present values" over 75 years (that is, how much coin inwards the present, at an assumed charge per unit of measurement of interest, would move equal to the amount over 75 years).
Thus, for example, the acquaint value of all the revenues Social Security is scheduled to have over the adjacent 75 years is $41.6 trillion, the acquaint value of full expenditures over that fourth dimension is $50.8 trillion, in addition to the electrical flow unfunded gap is $9.2 trillion. The multi-trillion dollar gaps for Part Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (Hospital Insurance), Part B (Supplemental Medical), in addition to Part D(Pharmaceuticals) of Medicare are also shown. The full gap is well-nigh $33 trillion--which for comparing is well-nigh twice every bit large every bit the $17.5 trillion inwards legally obligated liabilities inwards the nautical chart above.
Two master copy lessons emerge from these figures. First, the debt obligations of the federal regime are far larger than the $10 trillion or in addition to hence inwards debt owed to the public. Adding what is legally owed inwards benefits to federal employees in addition to veterans, together amongst promises already made to Social Security in addition to Medicare, the full amount owed would attain well-nigh $50 trillion.
Second, of this $50 trillion inwards what is owed, well-nigh one-half is because of Medicare. America's wellness help the arrangement is a huge business office of what is driving our long-term financial problems. Indeed, the numbers inwards the tabular array in all likelihood understate the lawsuit of futurity rises inwards wellness help spending for several reasons. The tabular array shows alone Medicare, but Medicaid is also a substantial spending programme without whatever dedicated payroll revenue enhancement or funding source. Moreover, the estimates of Medicare costs inwards the tabular array are probable to move far also low. At least, this was the conclusion of Richard S. Foster, Chief Actuary, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, who wrote inwards a "Statement of Actuarial Opinion" inwards an appendix to the 2011 Annual Report of the Medicare Trustees:
"[T]he financial projections shown inwards this study for Medicare create non correspond a reasonable expectation for actual programme operations inwards either the curt attain (as a final result of the unsustainable reductions inwards MD payment rates) or the long attain (because of the potent likelihood that the statutory reductions inwards cost updates for most categories of Medicare provider services volition non move viable). ... Although the current-law projections are pitiable indicators of the probable futurity financial condition of Medicare, they serve the useful utilisation of illustrating the special improvement that would final result if feasible agency tin move establish to permanently irksome the growth inwards wellness help expenditures."
There is a raging declaration over whether to laid on the federal budget deficits now, or whether to hold back until the economic scheme recovers farther in addition to the unemployment charge per unit of measurement falls. Compares amongst this motion-picture present of electrical flow federal debt from an accrued perspective -- a low-ball guess of $50 trillion inwards accumulated obligations -- the short-term decisions are relatively minor potatoes.