You Earned This: The Social Security & Medicare Podcast!

It turns out that humor is one of the best tools for healthy aging. No one knows that better than this week's guest, stand-up comedian Missy Hall. She's a nationally-touring headliner best known for her appearances on the Showtime comedy franchise, "Funny Women of a Certain Age." In this debut episode of SEASON FOUR, Missy riffs on her experiences as a comedian, parent of a teenage daughter, grand...

Michigan is a fascinating place --- a swing state with a large senior population. In fact, 1 in 5 Michicanders is over 65. Our guest this week, Paula Cunningham, is on the forefront of seniors' advocacy in the Great Lakes State. As director of AARP Michigan, she has a lot to say about the stresses of family caregivers, the value of home and community based care, and the future of Social Security -...

In this encore episode from November, 2025, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) tells us that Trump and congressional Republicans are leaving people of modest means "in the dust" --- by jacking up health insurance costs while showering the wealthy with huge tax cuts. He's also worried about the future of Medicare, as the disadvantages of Medicare Advantage become increasingly apparent and the Trump administr...

62 year-old gyrocopter pilot Caroline Paul is an inspiration to Boomers seeking a sense of adventure in later life. She's the author of the new book, "Why Fly:  Seeking Awe, Healing, and Our True Selves in the Sky." In this encore episode, Caroline shares her philosophy about approaching life courageously, while weighing risk and reward. A must-listen for anyone who dreams of soaring -- literally...

Host Walter Gottlieb and digital media manager Shahab Shokouhi answer questions from our Facebook community about Social Security! And... we troll a few social media trolls!  Questions include:  How do we demonstrate that the $2.6 trillion in the Social Security trust fund is real? Are Social Security rules unfair to single people? And... Is Social Security constitutional? Hint: OF COURSE IT IS!  

USA Today dubbed the generation born in the early 1960s the "Beatlemania Boomers." New research suggests these younger boomers have less retirement security than their older counterparts.  In this encore episode, Anqi Chen of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College explains why retirement may be a Hard Day's Night for this age group --- compared to older Boomers and the younger genera...

More of us will be living to 100 and beyond, says Bill Kole, author of "The Big 100" in this encore episode. But do we want to? And how will we pay the bills for all those extra decades? What is the impact of "super aging" on Social Security?  Bill paints a picture of the coming centenarian boom and all of its implications - good & bad - in this lively and surprisingly fun episode! After all, wher...

Apparently it's still okay to devalue and ridicule older people in our society. Ageism creeps into everything from personal interactions to job hiring. Find out why -- and what we can do about it --- in this encore episode featuring one of America's preeminent thought leaders on aging, S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois.

Our president, Max Richtman, is known as The Social Security Mythbuster because he excels at dispelling misinformation about Social Security. In this encore episode, Max takes on several pernicious myths including:  "Social Security is going bankrupt," "Undocumented immigrants are collecting benefits," and "Politicians are stealing from Social Security," among others!  Max explains why each of the...

Seniors are not the only group targeted by scammers, but they can be especially vulnerable.  In this encore episode, AARP's chief fraud prevention expert, Kathy Stokes, shares important advice for protecting yourself -- and your older loved ones -- against scammers.  Kathy says scamming is an "epidemic" that can be fought with knowledge. Whether it's the 'Tech Support' scam, the 'Grandparent' scam...

Half of Medicare beneficiaries did not visit the dentist during the past year because they couldn't afford to.  Melissa Burroughs of the advocacy group Care Quest says neglecting oral health can contribute to serious health issues in older people --- including Alzheimer's, heart disease, and diabetes.  Worse yet, traditional Medicare does not cover routine dental care. As Melissa tells us in this...

Meals on Wheels not only delivers hot, nutritious food to seniors --- it provides an important social connection to people who may be lonely or disconnected. Meals on Wheels even makes older people safer!  In this encore episode, Meals on Wheels America's chief policy officer, Josh Protas, tells us all about this amazing program which, unfortunately, faces possible funding cuts.  As a historian, h...

You may find yourself as the "financial caregiver" for an aging parent. Most people are thrust into this role with little preparation or warning.  Certified Financial Planner Beth Pinsker has written a new book, "My Mother's Money," bursting with great advice for adult children who --- sooner or later --- may need to take responsibility for their parents' finances. She was inspired to write the bo...

This encore episode is a must-listen, featuring the "Mother of Mindfulness," Dr. Ellen Langer of Harvard University. She explains that mindfulness is a key to healthy aging - both mentally and physically. Dr. Langer gives helpful tips about "actively noticing" the world around you --- using her "bottom up/top down" approach. As a bonus, she tells us why 1 + 1 isn't always 2! Tune-in... and you'll...

In this encore episode, veteran political consultant Jim Crounse says Trump's chaotic presidency is hurting the Republicans' chances in the 2026 midterms. Jim, a Democrat from the red state of Nebraska, takes the temperature of the election cycle -- and sees a path for his party to retake the House and maybe the Senate, because of Trump's waning popularity and his obsession with things voters don'...

The CEO of the nation's longest-serving national seniors' organization says, "Aging well is a right, not a privilege!" In this episode, NCOA's Ramsey Alwin tells us about some amazing tools that older Americans (and their loved ones) can use to maximize their benefits -- and remain healthy and safe! (Did you know that Tai Chi can help seniors avoid falls?) Ramsey also shares the latest evidence-ba...

Michigan is a fascinating place --- a swing state with a large senior population. In fact, 1 in 5 Michicanders is over 65. Our guest this week, Paula Cunningham, is on the forefront of seniors' advocacy in the Great Lakes State. As director of AARP Michigan, she has a lot to say about the stresses of family caregivers, the value of home and community based care, and the future of Social Security -...

62 year-old gyrocopter pilot Caroline Paul is an inspiration to Boomers seeking a sense of adventure in later life. She's the author of the new book, "Why Fly:  Seeking Awe, Healing, and Our True Selves in the Sky." In this episode, Caroline shares her philosophy about approaching life courageously, while weighing risk and reward. A must-listen for anyone who dreams of soaring -- literally or othe...

Veteran political consultant Jim Crounse says Trump's chaotic presidency is hurting the Republicans' chances in the 2026 midterms. Jim, a Democrat from the red state of Nebraska, takes the temperature of the election cycle -- and sees a path for his party to retake the House and maybe the Senate, because of Trump's waning popularity and his obsession with things voters don't really care about.  Ji...

Seniors are not the only group targeted by scammers, but they can be especially vulnerable.  In this episode, AARP's chief fraud prevention expert, Kathy Stokes, shares important advice for protecting yourself -- and your older loved ones -- against scammers.  Kathy says scamming is an "epidemic" that can be fought with knowledge. Whether it's the 'Tech Support' scam, the 'Grandparent' scam, the '...

Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins was the first female cabinet member in U.S. history. Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Perkins is known as the "Mother of Social Security" for her pivotal role in the creation of The New Deal's greatest legacy. In this episode, Amanda Hatch, Executive Director of the Frances Perkins Center in Newscastle, ME, shares stories about this early feminist ic...

Not only can everyone make a difference, says activist & entrepreneur Tula Thompson, but just by doing a little, you can have a big impact. One of Tula's passions is protecting Social Security and Medicare. And when Tula is committed to something, she dives right in --- whether it involves buttonholing a U.S. Senator after an airplane flight or preaching the importance of our earned benefits to yo...

This episode is a must-listen, featuring the "Mother of Mindfulness," Dr. Ellen Langer of Harvard University. She explains that mindfulness is a key to healthy aging - both mentally and physically. Dr. Langer gives helpful tips about "actively noticing" the world around you --- using her "bottom up/top down" approach. As a bonus, she tells us why 1 + 1 isn't always 2! Tune-in... and you'll be hang...

Tim Layton is a professor of public policy & economics at the University of Virginia. He analyzes Medicaid policy and its impact on real people. Professor Layton disagrees with some progressive arguments about health coverage, but agrees that taking medical insurance away from people is generally a bad idea. And that's exactly what Trump's "Big Beautiful" (Or Big Ugly) bill does. Prof. Layton also...

Savor the best moments from the podcast during 2025!  This compilation features interviews with Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman of Sha Na Na, Senators Ron Wyden & Tom Harkin, Reps. Maxwell Frost & Debbie Wasserman Schultz, AARP's Deb Whitman, and former Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley --- among many others. Enjoy!