Reid keeps seniors up on Social Security

Wednesday, May 28, 1997 | 10:48 a.m.

Sen. Harry Reid used a forum with seniors to reiterate that he'll support a federal balanced budget amendment only if Social Security isn't included.

About 75 seniors attended a Tuesday forum at the West Charleston Library to hear the Nevada Democrat bring them up to date on a variety of issues. The town hall meeting was one of a series the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare has hosted around the country.

Reid, a member of the Senate Aging Committee, also said he introduced two bills last week to encourage more doctors to take up geriatric training. One bill, the Medicare Physician Workforce Act, would have Medicare pay for the training of geriatrics.

He noted that only 12 of the nation's 128 medical schools require a course in geriatrics.

"We're going to do a full-court press on medical schools," Reid vowed.

His other bill, the Geriatricians Loan Forgiveness Act, would allow students pursuing geriatrics to forgive $20,000 worth of loans under the National Health Corps Loan Repayment Program.

Congress has failed to pass a balanced budget amendment and Reid's version to exclude Social Security. He said he'll continue to press for the exclusion even though he doesn't expect the proposed balanced budget amendment to come up for another vote this year.

"Social Security is the most successful social program in the history of the world," Reid said. "That's why when the balanced budget amendment came up, I offered amendments (in three sessions of Congress) not to balance the budget on the backs of seniors."

Reid was joined by Max Richtman, executive vice president of the 5.5 million-member national committee, who praised the senator's work with seniors.

Richtman blamed the media for misconceptions about the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund. He said if there are no changes in the fund, it still would be able to fulfill most of its obligations by the year 2020. He also said it was unfair to tap into a fund that has had nothing to do with the nation's $5 trillion debt.

Richtman and Reid also expressed reservations about proposals to privatize Social Security, such as by allowing recipients to invest their own money. Reid said he would be open to pilot programs. But the senator added that his father, who didn't even reach high school, would not have known how to make his own investments.

"The vast majority of people don't have that sophistication," Reid said.

During a question-answer period, one man dumped a bag full of plastic medical-related waste on the stage where Reid was speaking to back his argument that taxpayers are spending too much on Medicare waste and fraud. Reid agreed, noting that as much as 10 percent of Medicare costs go toward unnecessary expenses.