Social security and medicare

The national debt represents the outstanding liabilities of the Federal Government at any given time. Because the national debt includes Federal securities in which the income of the social security and medicare programs is invested, the question is sometimes asked: What effect do social security and medicare have on the size of the national debt, and vice versa? This paper describes how these programs relate to the national debt and the statutory debt ceiling.,David Koitz, Specialist in Social Legislation, Education and Public Welfare Division.,CRS 85-1132 EPW,"December 31, 1985.",Note: This paper represents a revision and update of a paper issued on March 29, 1985, entitled Social Security and the National Debt, Report No. 85-782 EPW.,SuDoc# LC 14. 18/3