| > The permium cost can vary based on income, but that doesn't affect the actual coverage or eligibility. > The insurance just pays out based on a formula to adjust to cover the more basic expenses. Both of these are means testing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Means_test > A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government assistance or welfare, based upon whether the individual or family possesses the means to do without that help. > The workers expecting these benefits in the future are a huge source of the political power. It's the money and the fact that people have been paying in with an expecting of benefits that's the difference. I see what you are saying, but I don’t think many people buy it anymore. The demographics alone make it quite obvious that workers today should not be expecting those benefits, not to mention the continuous devaluation of them already for many years. The old/young divisions are thoroughly established. Technically, I guess the division is old and young expecting inheritances versus young not expecting inheritances. There are just so many examples. California’s prop 13, defunding state colleges in favor of indebting students, tiered taxpayer funded DB pensions and retiree healthcare that are only available to older employees. NJ just cut taxes big time for people 65+: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/nyregion/property-tax-cut... |