Editor’s Note: After a long career in the data processing industry, Russell Gloor joined the Association of Mature American Citizens in 2013. Gloor received training from the National Social Security Association and was accredited by the NSSA® as a Social Security adviser in 2016. Currently part of the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory team, he annually counsels thousands of American seniors about their Social Security options. In addition to answering Social Security questions daily, he also authors the AMAC Foundation’s nationally syndicated weekly “Ask Rusty” advice column and has written three Social Security instructional books about Social Security.

Dear Rusty: I am a new AMAC member and have an important question for you, and your answer will be greatly appreciated. My question is: Is the new DOGE effort going to help us, or hurt us, all those living on Social Security and receiving Medicare benefits? Please let us know soon. Regards: Worried Senior

Dear Worried Senior: Here at the AMAC Foundation, we offer free access to everyone, the public as well as AMAC members, for our acclaimed Social Security Advisory Service, at which we answer all inquiries from anyone with questions about Social Security and enrollment in Medicare. As you can imagine, we very closely watch all action in Washington, D.C. which will affect Social Security and Medicare, especially any Congressional legislation being considered.

The new “DOGE” (Department of Government Efficiency) organization is tasked with uncovering and eliminating fraud and waste in all areas of the federal government, and that includes Social Security and Medicare. But the important thing to remember is that DOGE is seeking only to discover fraud and government waste.

Recently a great deal of visibility has been given to DOGE’s efforts to discover potential fraud (and waste) in the Social Security Administration. Everything we have seen thus far indicates that DOGE’s efforts have identified opportunities for reducing fraud and waste at the Social Security Administration, so our expectation is that DOGE’s efforts will tend to help the Social Security Administration become more efficient but not endanger anyone’s Social Security benefits.

Indeed, President Donald Trump and the DOGE team have repeatedly said no cuts in Social Security benefits will occur as a result of DOGE’s efforts. Reducing fraud and waste at the Social Security Administration would tend to improve the agency’s financial posture and improve their ability to pay full benefits longer.

The same is true for Medicare. Actually, DOGE is very transparent and posts everything they find on this website: www.doge.gov. A quick look at this website reveals that none of what they have found at the Social Security Administration indicates any threat to Social Security or Medicare benefits.

I suggest that any negative news media and social media accounts of DOGE’s activities be taken with a grain of salt. All such articles are largely meant to attract attention to unlikely “doomsday” scenarios. The reality is that our government is over $36 trillion in debt, and that debt is growing, which is an unsustainable financial path for our country. DOGE is specifically tasked with eliminating the deficit gap by reducing frivolous government spending and fraud. But reducing crucial benefits for seniors on Social Security and Medicare are not part of DOGE’s efforts, nor their goal.

Rest assured that here at the AMAC Foundation we are watching all current DOGE efforts very closely and will vigorously oppose anything which will negatively affect Social Security and Medicare. Indeed, AMAC’s stated goal is to strengthen and preserve Social Security for all future generations.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association. NSSA® and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit their website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.