Everyone says Medicare is facing a “trust fund shortfall.” Not only is that a gross falsehood, the reality is much worse.
The very phrase “Medicare trust fund” is a pure falsehood. There is no such thing. That which the phrase describes contains no funds, nor should one trust anybody who pretends it does.
When people use the words “Medicare trust fund,” they are referring to something that is effectively a “Medicare spending authorization countdown clock.” Congress says Medicare can keep sending hospitals money, without further action from Congress, until (A) total historic