Much to the relief of seniors, the first round of spending cuts did not touch Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Still, those programs are so large – and represent such a big part of America's projected budget deficits in the future – that Congress’s 12-member “super committee” is sure to eye them closely. If a majority of the committee agrees to make spending cuts with those programs, the House and Senate will vote on the proposals before the end of the year.
Other programs that seniors use could be affected by the spending cuts to come. For instance, seniors would feel the impact if cuts were made to programs such as the Older Americans Act, which brings social and nutrition services to seniors and their caregivers, according to Mary Liz Burns, a spokeswoman for AARP, an advocacy group for seniors.
