foster care system. the policy reform and advocacy director will join us. host: good morning. 14 we have aaugust three-hour "washington journal." we will talk about health care's ending in the united states. we will also take a look at the state of the foster care system in america. we begin with the increased speculation about a joe biden a presidential campaign. it reports say he is calling supporters to discuss the possibility of joining the democratic primary contests. phones for theen

first 45 minutes today. we are asking for democrats and independent to weigh in. the line for democrats for the first 45 minutes and for independents. you can catch up with us on a a very good friday morning it to you. much of the speculation about a joe biden run this week came in the wake of a story yesterday on the front page of "the wall street journal." front page.d on the since that story came out, others have noted that it's clutch time for joe biden. bernie sanders should be rooting like crazy for joe biden. the headline from the "new york ," we want to hear your

dots. -- thoughts. join us on the phone now is one of the reporters who worked on that wall street journal story. we appreciate your time in a getting with us this morning. guest: thank you for having me. host: talk about that headline. which allies in particular are we hearing about? he has vacationing this week in south carolina. we assumed he would be talking with his family and weighing the decision. he is doing more than that. he has been reaching out to political allies, people who have backed his previous campaigns. has good relationships with over the years in the white house. he is talking to them about the

logistical challenge. it's a shift. previously, people were urging him to run it. he was just listening and taking that in. now we see him proactively asking people questions and taking kind of a deeper look at the possibility of doing this. host: what is the timeline? up thise debates coming fall. what kind of a timeline is he looking at? guest: all along, he said he would make a decision by late summer. the timeline started to shift a little bit with the death of his son. a lot of people assume he wouldn't even consider making a bid. eventually, it became a. this was something on the table.

he would likely announce a decision in september, at that point you are five months away from the iowa caucuses. even though he would come in with a lot of built-in advantages of being the sitting vice president, he has not been secretly building an organization. he would have a lot of catching up to do in bringing together advisers and getting donors and hillary clinton has a huge head start and has wrapped up a lot of key people and gotten commitments and endorsements from them. host: how much has her issues with personal e-mail servers and the investigations surrounding that played into the chatter this week about joe biden nominating? guest: that's the backdrop for all of this. the controversy that has been dogging the clinton campaign, that has been fueling speculation about joe biden's candidacy. you hear a lot of democrats say what if there is more to, on

hillary clinton? what if it gets worse? a lot of democrats will argue that the e-mail issue is a partisan issue or that the clinton foundation donations are not of great consequence, she could probably survive the storm we are seeing right now. they worry if there is another shoe to drop. if there is, they would like to have an alternative. host: does joe biden have a natural race in the party? i certainly think he would make more of a dent in hillary clinton's support than in the bernie sanders supporters. he is not as far to the left as bernie sanders is. bernie sanders has staked out his own spot in this race. joe biden is not likely to peel off a lot of those votes. it would be competing with hillary clinton for the same voters.

constituency in that he would appeal to a lot of catholics, a lot of blue-collar workers. there are states where he has eight to get you and see, south carolina is a place where he has built up a lot of relationships over the years. they haven't early contest. states along the way were he could do well. let you go, what has been the response from the hillary clinton cap to some of the stories this week? far, they have had very little to say about any of her challengers. she is focused on talking about the republicans and what is wrong with them. was with her in new hampshire earlier this week and she was asked about the prospect of a joe biden candidacy and she said

that he is a friend. biden'snded beau funeral the summer. she offered very little on the subject. we need to let him be with his family and make this decision and she said i will respect whatever decision he makes. we are reigniting some of the chatter around a joe biden presidency. out allies.nding we appreciate your time. we are asking our viewers to weigh in. just our democratic and independent viewers. we will get to that line for democrats with james taking us off this morning. good morning. caller: good morning. host: your thoughts on the joe biden candidacy? caller: i love hillary.

i have been a clinton supporter for years. i am concerned about these e-mails. i think this is going to drip like water. the republicans are just going to drive us in the ground. i love hillary to death. i think we would be better if joe biden would jump in. i hope the jump since it are the later. i hope you will make a decision by the end of the month. host: what do you like about joe biden? is it his style? caller: i like the character. he's got good character. he has never had baggage. not like the clintons. he is a good man. he is smart. there is nothing in foreign policy that he could deal with. he doesn't need a secretary of

state if he is president. he could do both. host: let me bounce this tweet off you from monty. he said the country needs new blood. is that a problem that joe biden would have? caller: no. i don't think so. he is different from most. he is very trustworthy. people trust him. i have never heard anybody say anything bad about joe biden. people just love joe biden. something, people listen. right, itot come out don't hang around his neck. like ittons it seems sticks with them. the media is all over them. host: we are getting your

thoughts. the headline in "the hill" newspaper, crunch time for joe biden. alice, and morning. caller: good morning. i thank you so much. stew relax biden with his family -- needs to relax with his family. he needs to be a supportive person to a new uprising candidate. i think someone just stole my thunder from twitter or facebook. enough of clinton's, enough bushes. it doesn't mean that they are wrong.

support somebody new, support new ideas. who is a new candidate in your mind? caller: the person i would support hasn't said she would run. host: who might that person be? caller: that person would be the senator from massachusetts, elizabeth warren. host: alice is in maryland. elizabeth born is the subject of a gallup pole. it measured democrats desire for an additional candidate in the race. democrats say she should jump in. 49% say she should not. say the viceats president should run for the presidency. 47% said it no. most say they would consider voting for him, but few are

certain to about it. that came out this week. virginia, good morning. caller: thank you for c-span. i have been listening to you for years. i like joe biden. this is hillary's time. she has a love for our country that started years and years ago. there is something wrong with our country that they don't think a woman is capable of the the president. why would they want to bring in joe biden because his son passed and his son told him to run. hillary clinton has been taken advantage of. all of the democrats are aware that we are prepared that they will go after her. there is something concerning

the news media with the clintons , they hate the clintons. our country thrived under bill clinton. couldid everything they to him, they even impeached him, but the economy thrived. would take fiorina vice president. do you think it helps hillary if joe biden jumps in? does that make her a stronger candidate? does it prepare her for a general election russian mark --? caller: it's very possible. i like vice president biden. i really do. to be president, that's something different.

hillary to me has the fight. yearss fought throughout for what she believed in. got in the mold of being a candidate for president that she did in the last election. i would just like to see her be more forward in telling the things she will do what she did before. is to make a stance strong. fiorina is speaking out. the way she talks about hillary, calling her a liar. right, the wayt

they are treating her as much as she has done for our country. host: that is virginia in huntsville, alabama. hillary clinton picked up an endorsement from those who are familiar with congress. tom harkin put out his endorsement of hillary clinton yesterday. that te thoughtsting your morning on the potential candidacy of vice president joe biden. david is in jackson, mississippi. you are on the independent line. caller: i think there are two joe biden's. there is the big mouth, over which he has no control. he has got away with it.

he has embarrassed obama several time. he has gotten away with it. i don't think we should have a president who lets his mouth run away from him. he has been in the establishment for his entire career. he should just retire and enjoy his grandchildren. host: what is an example of an incident where he is embarrassed the end, -- obama administration? he endorsed gay marriage ahead of obama. obama was forced to jump in. he had to catch up. there are many. i do think it would hurt him in a democratic primary. he doesn't know what he's going

to say. therein lies the problem. as a color said yesterday and earlier, he's been in the establishment for too long. i think america wants change and i think he should just retire. host: edwin on twitter says he should run if he wants to. he has a history of wrong turns. past 24e a story in the hours on a potential biden candidacy. there appears at least one truth, his supporters are hoping he will run even though they are hearing little from the man himself. one person downplaying the significance saying he makes calls all the time. that is a story on cnn. sheila is up next. we are talking just to democrats and independents in our first 45

minutes. caller: yes. hello? i had called the white house comment line. this was quite a long time ago. president toice run. died, i sent him a condolence letter. ago, they sentks me a letter back, they are such kind people. i want him to run. i would vote for him. what do you think it's a strength? caller: i like everything.

i like that he is out there. he does say some silly things marriage, is for gay i don't have any problem with gay people. i know gay people. the president didn't come up with first. that's my comment. host: that was sheila in georgia. janet writes on our twitter page, why isn't bernie plan b? be rootingers should for joe biden to run for president. it would be the best possible thing. a lotand clinton occupy of the same space in the democratic party. sanders is unlike oath of them.

he is antiestablishment. an establishment lane is divided enough for him to have a chance. in takoma parker maryland. caller: good morning. baden -- biden in 1988, it might be worth considering. i think he is an endearing fellow, but gaffe prone. the republicans would have an easy time with him. those are my two cents. host: the white house is getting questions about his plans when it comes to 2016. here is a recent white house press conference where eric schultz was asked if the resident has an -- talked to the

vice president about running. to theve not talked president about his private conversations with the vice president during --. he could not be more impressed and appreciative of the vice president's service. host: joe biden is on vacation this week. he is reaching out to political allies. he is expected to appear in chattanooga tomorrow at a memorial service for those killed in that shooting last month. that is his next public appearance. we are talking about a potential vice president candidacy for president. missouri is up next. caller: thank you very much.

the lady that called in prior said that the economy was great under bill clinton. this is spread all over the world. on nafta and calf the. we are $18 trillion in debt. the economy did well because of ill gates and silicon valley. we went to all new computers across the united states. he was taking credit. clinton was right next to his. thank you very much for c-span. host: let's go to humble, texas. in morning. -- good morning. caller: with all due respect to

joe biden, the definition of same thing doing the over and over and each time expecting a different result. this will be the case so long as we continue to vote for these of establishment candidates, that includes hillary clinton. my choice is senator bernie sanders. he is a nonestablishment candidate. that is humble, texas. joe writes on twitter. let's go to st. louis, missouri. good morning. caller: can you hear me? host: go ahead. caller: i would love to see joe biden run.

always liked him. i find him to be a very genuine , as genuine as they can be in politics anyway. primarily, i want to see him run for the same reason i wanted to see elizabeth warren ron and the same reason i appreciate bernie sanders running. we need more diversity of voices because the democratic hardy isn't just one idea. this seconde that time hillary has run, there is this air of coronation of her being the first woman president of the united states. i'm not saying we don't eat a woman president of the united states. we've got a lot of very capable female leaders. they need to step up.

they need to stop trying -- it's a competition print it's not a coronation make your case and be a grown-up. stop trying to be polite. this the future of our nation. bernie sanders, run. but your ideas out there for nancy pelosi for heaven sakes, run. upt: some of colors brought joe biden being too gaffe roan and previous gas might come back to haunt him. but you make a question --? caller: the media runs on gaffes. they make great soundbites. planet whon this

hasn't put their foot in her mouth at one time or another. tv, it'sdo it on noticeable. we've gotten to this point. extent, it's a level of political correctness when you know what somebody is trying to say that because they did not say it the right way, you get three days worth of news. it ends up in somebody's file to attack them again. when you know what somebody is trying to say, let them elaborate a what they are saying rather than just jumping on them. host: we've been talking a lot about the vice president he is on vacation this week. he did appear at the center for american progress. he addressed an audience of young people about ways they could translate positive change.

this is a bit of that address. >> there is more reason now to be idealistic. think of it this way. if you're ever going to be involved in public affairs, this is the time to do it. things are changing. change nooing to matter what you do. the question is how they change. there are very few times in american history, we call them reflection points. it's like driving down the highway at 60 miles an hour and you turn to the writer left. you can never get act on the

path you were on. that's what's happened. not because of barack obama and joe biden or anyone else. these are moments of great change. host: that was joe biden speaking last month. we are asking just our democrat and independent viewers to weigh in. we've got about 15 minutes left in this segment if you want to call in. charles krauthammer in the washington post noted that joe biden fills the vacuum. journal, whenreet mrs. clinton and it over her private e-mail server to the justice department, democrats sniffed vulnerability.

is unenthused about the old clinton machine. we want to hear from you. maxine is up in michigan. good morning. caller: good morning and thank you for taking my call. biden, i thinkoe he is a very good person. my concern with his running for president is the loss of his son and his grieving process. in son just passed away june. this is august. that is a major decision. any grief counselor will tell you don't take any major decisions for at least three years. would be a good

president. i am concerned about the pressure he would be under. that is too much for one person to overcome. that is my opinion. he is already lost a child. it's not easy to get over. that is my concern. his grieving process has not completed yet. him do not want to see harm to himself or the country. that's all i got to say and thank you. host: michael is on twitter. otherbout some of the contenders who have already jumped in. martin o'malley had a story in the washington post. still early. jimmy is up next in san antonio, texas area good morning.

i support joe biden. democrat and i have not donated to the dnc for a couple of years. money tong up my president biden should he jump in. i support him wholeheartedly. i do not think there will be a viable debate. him or senator sanders would be my choices. thank you. host: maria is up next in

connecticut on that line for independent. caller: good morning. host: go ahead. morer: i think we need independent people come in. no more people with money. we need more independent people that don't have anything to do with politicians and other countries, in china, in afghanistan. people in america need help. we need so much help. it's no joke. kids are dying in the streets. kids are hungry in america. people talk about other countries, in america, we need help. opinion.

thank you and god bless. god bless america. waits andhe country the political world speculates, the campaign continues this week in iowa. democratic and republican candidates mounted the official soapbox at the iowa state fair. there is a bit of one of those candidates, mike huckabee. i think a lot of times you and i, we hear politicians talk. we hear a lot of people in your state. this time, 17 republicans are coming to iowa to ask for your support. there will be democrats who come as well. hillary is probably not going to come.

she will e-mail in her appearances. i know the clintons pretty well. -- born in the same town bill clinton was born in. for the republicans who are deciding how to vote, a lot of the questions are is there anybody on our side that has a good opportunity to take on the clinton the political machine it? i'm feeling one who has ever every time, i did not run against an opponent, i ran against the clintons political apparatus. host: c-span is continuing our life coverage of candidate speeches. heads to the soapbox

today at 10:30 a.m. on c-span. two other campaign events to tell you about, marco rubio will be giving a speech in new york. we will tape that event. holding a town hall meeting tonight in new hampshire. c-span will have live coverage. leftve about 10 minutes are doing it your thoughts about a potential joe biden presidential campaign. joe is in new york. good morning. caller: good morning. how are you doing today? i want to give two reasons why i biden willve joe

run. i don't think he will want to go mccain history like john one whoccain was the wanted to prevent the first black and from the history. prevent thewant to first woman from being president. two, i believe he is going to listen to his best friend, the president. he will probably tell him it's not a good idea at this time. those are my two reasons why i don't take he's going to run. will comment on what i say.

thank you very much. host: we have other college. daniel is in a pennsylvania. good morning. you're on "washington journal here go --." caller: thank you so much for taking my call. i'm not into siesta about joe biden. i'm not enthusiastic at all. i just think he has been there much much too long. goes, as hillary clinton everybody must remember her ducking sniper fire in bosnia. she received flowers on the tarmac and not bullets. embellish.

to aas saying this story bunch of older women, working attendingle that work a st. patrick's day celebration. actually see these irish-americans. it's so stereo typical. $5 million tod marry their daughter into a family of swindlers? host: back to the subject of joe biden. here's a comment from twitter.

we want to hear from just democrats and independents this morning. milton is in philadelphia. he is on our line for democrats. go ahead. caller: thank you for taking my call. i would love for joe biden to run. i like the clintons. we don't know what might drop next. there is so much drama with them. joe biden was right about iraq. he voted against the war and he was right to have three a thomas regions. he was right about foreign policy and i hope and pray that he gets in. thank you. one rumor that was going around the internet that was night, aluashed last

gore is not planning to run. about -- reports about him getting in the race. his spokesperson said there is no truth to it. one other story to tell you in cuba, therning, american flag will fly over havana today. the american flag is going to be raised at a ceremony at the u.s. embassy that was recently reopened in havana. john kerry will oversee the event which follows a similar flag raising ceremony outside the cuban embassy last month to raise the flag. american officials are bringing back three marines who lowered 54 years ago. that story is in usa today.

we will have live coverage of that ceremony to mark the opening of the u.s. embassy. a.m. ge begins at 9:30 one editorial in the washington post about this subject, cuban dissidents should have been invited to the flag raising ceremony in havana. you can read editorial in the washington post. let's go back to the phones. about a joethink biden bid? caller: good morning. is a wonderful human

being. elected, we will not go anywhere. like bernie who has talked about economics. delaware is a state that is an offshore bank. people don't talk about this. they are too polite to mention it. it is famous for its financial and anakin. they will work it out for you. that's just. -- that's the gist. host: merv, good morning. caller: he has the leadership and the vision that the country needs. i invite everybody to visit the website the case for biden. he has the integrity and will

for all thep devastating harm that mr. obama has caused. host: there is a draft biden website that is getting a lot of attention. let's go to iowa on the democrat line. good owning. caller: good morning. i don't think he should run. i am supporting hillary. i am a black 80-year-old lady. presidentsee a woman before i leave this earth. i think she would make a good president. host: do you think it makes for stronger if joe biden does want -- run? caller: i think he should retire and rest. he has had a good life. let's get in michael in

arizona. good morning. caller: good morning. i don't think he should run. aboutd a collar talking him voting against the iraq war. he voted for it. 2003.as in i am supporting hillary. he should not get in the race. this e-mail think is just a bunch of fiction. republicans don't have anything to run on. they don't have any policies. go hillary. have a nice day. host: michael is in arizona. note, the story of president's summer reading list

came out yesterday. time magazine had a story on it. among the books he has been eading on vacation up next, we'll be joined margot and we will talk about health insurance cutting cost. the 80th anniversary of social security. we will take a look at the prospects of the system and what consumers need to do to manage retirement. we will be right back.

this weekend, politics, books, american history. presidential candidates speak at the soapbox. this begins at saturday at noon. we will hear from rick santorum and lincoln chafee and bernie sanders. the iowacoverage from state fair. claire mccaskill on her political career. sunday morning, the next to susan talks about his legal situation involving campaign finance laws. we learned about the state fair history. we look back on the 2008

presidential race. evening, the 1864 battle of mobile bay. it are weak schedule at www.c-span.org. on prime time.tv somehe weekends, these are programs. jackson for the festival. it begins at 11:30 a.m. eastern with discussions on harper lee and the civil war. on saturday, we are live from our nations capital for the book festival. sunday, lynne cheney.

book tv on c-span two. >> washington journal continues. host: we are joined now by margot sanger-katz. healthns us to discuss care spending under the affordable care act. one major selling point for the law is that it saves money and lives on the cost side. it thethere is a lot research. , preventativeme health care costs more money than it saves. this is one of those persistent selling points for the law that has turned out to not be very realistic. host: is there preventative care

that does save money? is a body of research that looks at this question. there is something that is it. one is childhood vaccines. they cost almost nothing and they prevent a lot of disease and sickness. low dose for people who are at risk for heart attack, that seems to pay off. contraception is another one. providing it information about s has been very cost effective for women. there are some examples of preventative health care services that they money. i think there is hope in medicine that as we had better at prevention we can target prevention to the people who needed and do it at low cost and will pay off. right now, we have to look at it as a good investment in health, but not a good investment in

future health care spending. on --people spend more then uninsured people? do we know how much that is? study there was a recent in oregon. they wanted to expand medicaid. they did not have enough money to expand it to everyone. they actually created this experiment where they said if you want medicaid and you eat certain qualifications, sign up and will he -- have a lottery. a lot of people did not get it. because they randomly assigned people to get insurance or not get it, they could compare what happened to those two groups of people. what they found is people they gave health insurance to had certain benefits that they got and it was very clear that they

spent more money on health care and they used the emergency room more. tot: if you want to talk margot sanger-katz, the phone lines are open for the next 45 minutes. as viewers are condon, i want to talk about overall health care spending. it kicked up for the first time in several years. what were the reasons for it taking up. we don't really know what happened in 2014. government actuaries who look at the data made an estimate for a thought would happen. it did take up. of measuringy

health care spending, we never experienced a year with the slow growth. it looks like 2014 had more spending but not much growth relative to what we have seen historically. population getting older. people are retiring. people tend to have more health care problems when they get older. wascond thing they found more people were getting insurance because of obamacare. when people get insurance, they go to the doctor more. the third thing they found is the prescription drugs had been getting more expensive. those are expensive drugs. it turns out a lot of people have that disease.

host: this is from the wall street journal. it is tracking percentages compared to previous years from the 1990's. these are the most recent years. in those years were it was at historic lows, weren't there more people going in to the affordable care act? guest: most of the people who got insurance did not get it until last year. you remember the website launch. for low income people can get it. there are people who got new coverage between 2010 and 2000 working.

host: we are talking about health care spending. feel free to call. start on the line for republicans. chris is waiting in a corpus christi. good morning. i have a medical background. i think people don't understand no understanding of what a primary care physician. of looking at getting taken care of the same person, i get taken care of faster. host: your concern is how people

use the system that is in place? caller: yes. of course costs go up. a lot of this is due to the misunderstanding of the system. emergency rooms are for emergencies only, not a quick. the cost will go up. guest: i think that's a reasonable point. i think one good example is people who have primary care help managey can illnesses better. i think it's going to make people healthier and happier. moneygoing to cost less than if they wait until the have a catastrophic problem and they

get cared for in a hostile will where things are much more expensive and the problem is worse and will require much more substantial intervention. it tends a lot of the prevention measures, we try to prevent them from getting an illness. most health economists would agree that it's better for people to have a primary care physician who can take care of them and help them manage whatever health problems that have attributes to wait until the have a catastrophic problem. host: maybe it would be helpful to define the term. what goes into health spending in the united states?

thathen christian says deductibles were raised. you spend more out of pocket than before. who are we talking about? guest: this is the national health expenditure report hearing that means everything. that includes what your insurance company pays, what an uninsured person might pay. what the government pays. also what you pay your self. that includes costs for prescription rugs. it includes everything you can think of as being a health-care expense. they are trying to track what is happening overall in health care spending. there are lots of other studies that look at these different -- it is certainly true that health insurance over the last 10

years, the amount that people are being expected to pay has been increasing at a rapid rate. it's causing a lot of financial strain for families. host: mark is waiting on our line for independence. caller: good morning. i dropped mys because ie at work was in the military. i never joined the v.a.. i finally did. i am talking to the v.a. and i asked him that question. is that considered health care?

i don't have to pay the penalty on my taxes. is that considered health care? get a lot of calls about that question. they don't know if this is considered health care if you're in the v.a. system. idea? have any guest: there are a couple of different benefit you can get to the veterans administration. some people have disability benefits and some people get health care. i don't know exactly what it is. if you are getting a health benefit, you can use their doctors and hospitals. that should count as health insurance under obamacare and you should not have to read about paying the penalty. host: with your question or comment. caller: sorry about that.

good machin, me and my friends what i wasg this and are those -- hat ost: we will go to john in crofton, maryland. republicans. caller: i'm interested in your name. are you any relationship of the parenthood?lanned uest: i'm not but my family is from new york also. margaret.is caller: anyway you were saying on you only have figures healthcare costs but to the 2014.ment for nd so they are almost a year behind or a half year behind in reporting the costs. they have probably gone up over 2014 or we would have

heard about it. before healthcare feels passed i think you said it of 2010 when h ancy pelosi gave herself a birthday gift. she had turned 70 then. we've got five years obama care and i'm sick of hearing it called affordable because it is not. the costs have gone up. the president promised if you you can keep it. you like the doctor you can keep t and for a family of four it should go down by an average of $2,400 and that is a lie. most are paying more. opting to pay the penalty both teams roberts found way to say it is constitutional. what are your views on the constitutionality of obama care? . i'm not a lawyer or supreme ourt justice so i don't feel comfortable weighing in on constitutionality but i think

the supreme court is the final don't question and they have ruled on it. they said it was constitutional. my role as a reporter think about what does it mean and what is it doing to the people's conomy and health and well-beingment those are the questions i focus on. paying more le are and more because that's what we were talking about and it is that healthcare spending has increased offensive year since the affordable care passed. but as i said before the last few years were marked by the growth in healthcare spending on record so it is true that people are paying more and of cases individual people because their particular health a higher has deductible and they feel more of the burden on their shoulders. the rate at which healthcare spending is growing is at a record low. an important context to upbls.

i don't think that it is because care act.ordable other factors may explain it but very high since the government was involved in healthcare in any sense. host: any upshot column "new ork times" great place to go for the number crunching on the overall increase. up 5.5% last year. continue?xpected to guest: what medicare actuaries will be 5.8% on average the next 10 years so it be, if their estimates are correct which we will find out, faster grow a little than the last few years. that is certainly faster than expected or wages are to grow so people will continue to feel like it is consuming a the budget.of >> what are the implications if that occurs? means that healthcare will come to

represent a larger part of our economy. that's what we have seen the last few decades. out of every one 10 dollars was health care and five.ne of that makes sense in some case. as we get rich are they think are their priorities they want to spend money on a ng healthier and living longer and more comfortable life seems to a pretty good thing but point where it represents so much speptding that it is crowding out other government wants to spend money on. think that the growing pot of healthcare is a problem. ost: we go to donna in springfield, martha, -- missouri, independents. caller: my question is with regard to the difference between medicare and medicare advantage as far as what our government each of those

categories. understood we were putting more money in the advantage than the traditional met care. was told that would probably begin to decrease with the idea of fading out the difference financially putting into each of those categories. current what is our status with that. guest: that is accurate. edicare advantage is an option for people who enroll in medicare if they want a private more like an h.m.o. from an insurer than the traditional medicare plan. there is a complicated formula the describes how government pays for the plans. they essentially pay per person insurance t to the companior covering each senior that signs up. it is true when they started they paid per person a protest top of what on they believed they would have

medicare andtional the affordable care act sort narrowed that. each erstanding is for person in medicare advantage, hey get a tiny bit more than a traditional plan might have paid for this person. but it is a much smaller used to be.han it overall the government still spends more on traditional medica medicare than medicare advantage because more are enrolled in is itional medicare and it an older population that is in traditional medicare so they are those in icker than medicare advantage. host: in is a good time to ask a question from twitter. you compare costs in the private insurance markets versus the va? versus guest: i don't know the answer va.the as i said, this has been a eriod of record slow spending growth and that has been reflected in health insurance. saw growth in private health insurance

premiums up 3% which is like unprecedented. i think tied for the lowest rate ever. programs similarly growth has been incredibly slow. it has been basically flat the last couple years. about 25 minutes left in there segment with margo "new york times" upshot columnist. next, orlando, democrats.ne for caller: when i was a college 1970's, i the early worked in new york city in a john lindsey for and i was assigned to the board and we were -- stigating fraud and of fraud in medicaid and it was an eye-opening experience. it seemed likeze a lot of providers were just

off the system and there were not too many consequences, frankly. i think that is a really serious getting enoughot attention. culturealmost part of the here providers feel look then manipulate schemes and keep double books and hospitals and enough being done to prosecute and stop that kind of rip-off. thank you. guest: i think that fraud and problems substantial in the medicare and medicaid problems and also private insurance. the government as part of the affordable care act stepped up dollars to enforcement and collaborations with department after medicare fraud and they have been

collecting record recoveries efforts.those i think there has been effort to prevent more fraud before it ham happens. he government has soon an irregularity and investigated nd gone to a fraudulent doctor saying we will prosecute you. there is an effort to say what things we can do to prevent fraud from happening ahead of time. on the e mixed reviews efforts. a lot of critics of the government feel too much fraud it is only found after the fact. but there have been some stepped up efforts but it is substantial. much as are maybe as 10% of medicare spending is activities. host: new numbers out on enrollment through the affordable care act. enrollment period the numbers out yesterday. irst explain what a special enrollment period is who it

applied to. care works ay obama generally there is a set period many n up and i'm sure ca people talk hat about open enrollment. and if you don't sign up then have to wait until next year. that is how it works for most people. gives opportunities for people who become uninsured uring the year or another life change. they can sign up any time. if you have a child, get married, lose your insurance through work, if you are covered through, say, medicaid and the no rnment says you are longer eligible you have a short window to sign up for insurance. the government also created a special category so uninsured ind been 2014 and had failed to sign up enrollment pen period this year when they were filing taxes if they learned for he first time they really needed to have insurance they

got this extra window. what the report that came out said is about 950,000 eople took advantage of the special enrollment opportunity. small percentage were people who paid the tax penalty. most were people that got a job or had t another change and it is affordableo note the cache -- care act is not just persistently uninsured but those no have changes in their lives so the fact that 1 million signed up is sign that seems to be working. any bar setting by the federal government on what the numbers would be? don't think they have had any estimates. in general most of the estimates the the government and from congressional budget office which set forecasts are looking t what is the average enrollment over the year as opposed to different categories. that makes sense because the way somebody could lose a

job someone who was covered obama care program may get a job so there is movement and the government looks at the overall average. ost: thomasville, georgia, next, scott on the line for republicans. caller: good morning. i have a comment regarding the it is called the affordable care act. cost in the affordable care act has been delayed such as the cadillac tax. when that first came out i assumed that was for unionized and nies in the northeast would affect maybe 10%. we read it is 40% excise tax effect one half of all plans. that is not for two years but when you are doing this we're 4% or 5% growth

rate that is not even feasible. especially in light of the fact we know that we have three hepatitis c people that c infected with hepatitis and the cost to cure those person.is $100,000 per do that math. i can't do. i know it probably doubles your healthcare cost. that is something that was unforeseen when the 2010 plan certainly when you put off all the real costs course,itical reasons of you can't deal with things you didn't know about because you costs.d the i would like your comment. under the ed cost a.c.a. guest: that is a good way advancement has happened which new technology make it possible for us to cure and we could not cure or treat before and they tend to be more expensive. that is a tradeoff i was talking

about before where it makes more expensive but offers people potentially better health and longer lives. to weigh those things. those hepatitis c drugs are a lot of mple and people have it and will have to be treated. the drugs also,appear to that iscure for disease difficult. these to wrestle with questions. it is not just that it costs ore and the fact this drug was developed the last fewer years is not the fault of the act.dable care host: we go to billings montana. independent. eric. caller: good morning. i want to make a quick reference caller who ous mentioned the va and i have been led to understanding a veteran system it is qualified as a health care so paying any

penalties. a health iously in care crisis. there are too many that don't have health care. who have benefited contrary to the assertion of the previous caller. i also understand many other have seen their costs rise. something that we are going to have to experiment with and some solution is better than none. going back it square one i don't think is a viable option. a larger scale i would say that how can we consider urselves first world nation in terms of first world meaning can we d companies, how consider ourselves that when every other first world nation offers healthcare. think we need to go forward with this in some fashion and once again i'm sure we will come with a uniquely american solution. i would like your comment.

guest: it is true the united is relatively unusual that we don't offer universal insurance coverage or healthcare financing. was an le healthcare attempt to expand it. there are things about the merican system different from the rest of the world but that one thing. that is an argument that people the law make that there is a social benefit to providing insurance to those didn't have it before. there are numbers out this week from the gallup polling that show and numbers from the c.d.c. that percentage of americans without health lowest ever.at the act may fordable care raise costs and we will have a debate but it is very clear that affordable care act has succeeded in allowing a lot of health hat couldn't get insurance before to get it.

host: lots of callers waiting. bennett sun in macon, kentucky. caller: i would like to know how come when i got social security up i didn't gned take part a and b now i need it penalize me and harge me $400 a month and i only draw $1,100. that is like the open enrollment periods for the health care exchanges i talked about. they want people to get insurance and stay insured for as long as they are eligible and not wait until they have an illness because if everyone sick it til they were would be really expensive. o, in an attempt to get people to sign up while they are healthy medicare charges a part d inthink in the the drug program. there are different prices pay for people are to

part a and b which cover hospital care and physician services. part a i think there is no premium so you should be able to for that. part b can be pretty expensive pay the premiums and you may be suffering a penalty for waiting. marshall, texas, kevin, republican line. caller: good morning. about the cost, from what i have from some reputable sources the really you can't judge way the prices are going in the h care based on affordable care act, that really it takes several years for a to affect prices. s one caller noted a lot of obama care has been postponed and delayed. so, it could be several years because we really see a change that.o

in your study you noted people using healthcare more. if that is going to drive,demand and it makes sense that people access to healthcare they will use it as much as they can, i used to have to pay out f pobof pocket i would easure how sick i was before i went to the doctor are. if i got insurance and it is use it.i'm going to unless there's a big increase in physicians the price has to go up. is funny when you call it the affordable consider you -- affordable care adding it is actually costs. view any thoughts on his of how he would use the system. guest: that is a good we see in the why research when people get insurance they use it. expensive and when people

have to pay out of their own avoid it and y insurance gives them security and allows them to go to the doctor. that is both good and bad. some go when they don't need to to unnecessary costs but a lot of times people go it is ey are sick and good they have the ability to do that. host: away talked about the we talked about the federal exchange. i want to ask you after the wrotee court decision you an article that the decision opened the door for state be replaced by the federal exchange. can you explain why that is? guest: that is interesting that we the affordable care act feels idea that re was the all the states would want to right hand their marketplaces like control over the local policy and they have a history of regulating insurance products. law allowed them to set them up but it created a fall back the state fails the

federal government will run them. people's surprise what happened is that very few states started their own exchanges. most of them ended up in the federal system. saw last year and this year it turns out that running a exchange is nce heal difficult. it is technically complicated logistics and requires management and it is expensive and some economies of are that seem to flow if doing it for a lot of people it is cheaper than just a few state. in your as you may remember the supreme court case that the court decided decided was about whether federal subsidies for could go to every state or only those running their exchange. that is off the table. whether your state has a federal or state exchange you are eligible for subsidies to help health insurance if your income is low. o states don't have to held on

to the state exchanges. there is evidence they will start to give them up because them to be very difficult and expensive. host: who are the states most them up if they do? guest: there are two that come to mind. has basically given it up because it had so many technical problems. is vermont which is finding that the cost of managing the exchange is so high they don't know if they can justify it or legislature wants to continue. smaller e likely population states? guest: it seems like the big states are doing ok. and new york are both who are seeming committed to ontinuing to run them and having success and sustainability. but a lot of others especially more on the s are fence. host: back to the phones, david ocala, n. -- florida. caller: good morning, margo. hello. i was wondering about this.

businesses that a p us have what they call pricing book. we all know that here. book.here is a pricing that is the one item that no one will ever bring up or talk about the pricing book that each ne of the billing departments has that bill you for your bill. do anything or tell us anything proper if you don't that book that charges you $10 for an aspirin and all ridiculous things this charges for. if you don't start at the you can speculate all day long about with you may on.k is going i know what is going on. that pricing book that you never in front of the american one c shows of -- show us and let us look at the pricing

book. it is like it is for the armed and it is a hammer it $500.ost i would like to hear the answer of how we start a conversation a conversation without starting a conversation at the very beginning. talking about money. you are talking about billing. they have billing books. that the insurance forth goes back and between the people how much they will charge. 100% y i could charge because i don't have insurance argue billing ok they with the insurance company so 20between it is anywhere 56 and 60. transparency.or guest: that is one thing about the american system that is unclear what the prices are for a lot of medical services and people don't all same.e if you have health insurance

your insurer and say the ospital they negotiate every couple years and set up a contract where they say you come surgery we will pay this and the government that covers people over 65 they negotiate different price. o there are different prices paid by different people and if you are uninsured often you have don't knowand if you what it will be in advance and don't have the ability to do.tiate that some others i think that the prices in the american healthcare system are a problem for two reasons. there is no transparency. people don't know. even to the degree they are able shopper the ant to best quality care and low he is cost they can't get the information. is if you hing compare the u.s. to other countries we were talking about before, it turns out that the is different not just because we don't cover everyone more for rge way healthcare and that is part of the reason we have such an expensive system. there is wasteful care

and unnecessary care and that leads to costs too. getting healthcare they don't need. the biggest difference between system and system in other parts of the world we pay ore for each individual service. host: we go to indiana and gary democrats. for caller: good morning. we have a ay hodgepodge of complications that abound win this particular issue other expenses as well. tell you, man, the defeated ms like a purpose, you know? not going if you are to get it out the nose one way another.e i look forward to president of ers and i like the sound it.

getting this done and getting health with universal ca care. right evious caller was about the lack of transparency. brings up senator sanders. can you talk about the latest discussion on the campaign trail revolving around the affordable care act. been one thing is i have covering healthcare in politics a number of years and this election seems like healthcare being talked about less. part of reason is the affordable new act is here and the normal. it will be a while before we i think the answers but people are getting used to it. most ofe criticisms and the republicans want to repeal in and replace it with something else and democratic candidates you are mprove it but not seeing detailed policy proposals and the intensity of previous elections. looking forward to following

it on the campaign to see to osals are put forward analyze them and talk about what they will mean for the purpose americans. but it is early. there's not a lot of specificity. host: when it hams they can read about it in the upshot column in the "new york times." crystal is next blue springs, missouri. line for the republicans. caller: good morning. hearing everything, i would like a couple of comments. my question is the first comment he lack of with t transparency for costs because can cost thousands of dollars o go to a very basic check or to a small emergency or minor issue.ncy and it is unattainable. is, if the government is trying to cut and be logical about

, why are they taking on expenses such as sex changes? and transgender issues? those things need to level.led on a personal are certain services that often get talked about a lot because they are simple really expense and certain people feel like they should not be covered but insurance. you look at the overall cost they are on the margin. gender have reassignment surgery or other expensive procedures. america is are in taking care of people with more a baby or ases, cancer or people who have lung or heart disease. of how to to think make it more affordable any has ton to that question really encompass the services

that are common and figure out keep the people healthy from the diseases that affect a lot of people. it doesn't mean there shouldn't discussions about what is covered and isn't covered on the margins but sometimes there's focus on sun high cost services -- certain high cost do not enough about what to about more common problems and in aggregate are expensive. we've mary in massachusetts on the line for independents who is waiting. quick?u make it caller: i'm calling because there's legislation that has written in , was 2003 by representative john labeled alled -- it is h. rfp h.r. 676 to expand medicare to don't understand how the media continues to ignore a single hat there is payer health care movement that very rant in this country much so in massachusetts.

it gets nothing but resistance to receive coverage. you to pay to ask some attention to single payer healthcare. thank you. single payer movement. guest: i think there are people ad america who feel like a single payer solution is better than the system we have where ou have a lot of different kinds of insurers and private entities and people left out. medicare is a great example of older than 65. if you have medicare, it pays ll the hospitals for medical cost and same price to everyone nd there is a more central system and standardization for people over 65 than the rest of us. but we had a big debate a few years ago about health care care and the affordable act is the law that passed. there's no reason theoretically pay are option couldn't have passed but the politics were not right. there was not enough support for

this solution. we will see over time how reform evolves and whether that idea of more le payer system is popular but it is pretty clear in america there are people who most americans do not support this solution. writes rgo sanger-katz for the upshot section of t"new york times". no, giving more people health insurance doesn't save money. time.preciate your guest: thanks for having me on. host: later we will look at the deposit foster care system. social security's 0eu78ed birthday. we will ask how long benefits around in this country and what you can do to prepare sharon rement with epperson. here is a look back at president roosevelt signing the social act into law. [video clip] franklin d. roosevelt

put his signature on the social security act. social security measure at least some protection who will ion citizens reap direct benefits through compensation, through old age pensions and increased services for the children and the prevention of ill health. years later congress passed a new social security law needs.ed to meet today's signed by president truman in 1950, this act gives social new meaning for you. this is the portrait of the future. picture with social security helping to mick possible. under the social security act now american families are able to ensure for themselves an income that is is guaranteed for life. is an income provided not by

charity or relief but by federal age and survivors insurance. insurance that is bought and paid for. ost: 80 years ago franklin roosevelt signed the social security act into law. we are marking the occasion by future of the he system and taking retirement questions with sharon epperson senior personal finance correspondent. social security turns 80 today. what do you think its chances 100th making it its birthday? guest: it is very good. there are concerns whether the available andl be for everyone in 2034 is what it may be ying when depleted but there will still be benefits available. changes ion is what will have to be made longer term to make sure social security is the next 100 r

years. host: for our viewers give us a eminder of how social security is funded. guest: social security is taken out of your paycheck. it is based on the 35 years that ou are working throughout your career different jobs you have had. calculate it on that history and it is taken out of d on a certain amount pay. if you make a certain amount close to $120,000 that social payment you put in symptoms but you build your based security benefits on what you pay into the system during your working years. and reach full retirement age at 65 for many or 67 you can get the full benefit and right now that $2,000 a year.r itt: if changes come to keep athoet do you think they will come from increased payroll decreasing the

amount of benefits looking ahead beyond?and guest: some of the things they looking at those are two that may happen but another one tothe age where you are able get your full social security benefit and raising that another way e is that many suggest we will have the system.n host: speaking of ages for viewers we are splitting up the this morning. age if you want to talk about the future social security or have the retirement planning sharon epperson of cnbc them.e to answer under 30202-748-8000. 50 over, 748-8001 and 202-748-8002 fp 202-748-8002. who e we get to calls should be most worried about

potentially seeing cuts to their benefits in the future? one of those phone lines? guest: the younger generation are always als concerned whether or not social security will be there for them. t is the generation that is probably most wanting to see some type of guaranteed income them. so it is unfortunate that study after study shows people between 18 to 35 looking forward to one day having some questioned income but the question is whether or not social security will be there for them in the form we are today and benefits that folks can get today. so that is a big concern. why i think a lot of young people are trying to come steady other ways to get income. host: with cnbc you do work prepare for e retirement. what are your suggestions for calculate theould potential benefits. considerations?

guest: there are social security benefits and overall. of social think security as part and in some case as small part of what your retirement savings vandal should be. if you are working or if you a spouse that can put money in a retirement account very monthly, to save save biweekly with every paycheck making sure you save as much as you can of your own money for retirement and doing and as early as possible frequently as possible. that means contributing up to he company's matching contribution in the 401-k or taking out if you are eligible a i.r.a. and fund thabg to the maximum which for many is year, $6.500. if you have extra money putting it in a taxable account earmarked for retirement and yourself first, paying yourself first. we have heard that before. that is very important. you have children as i do

you want to give them the best them ve for college for but you really have to think about your retirement needs first. your is no scholarship for retirement so it is very important you save now and save you l and regularly and if just start to save it is not too late. there are catch-up contributions have to be really diligent about making sure you ut expenses so you have enough money to save for the retirement. host: sharon epperson of cnbc. 40 minutes on the "washington journal" she hosts a cnbc digital al program "retire well" which focuses on retirement issues, sam issues we are focusing on this morning. happy to take your calls. on the lineh bonnie for those under 30 in georgetown, kentucky. caller: i want to say this me downthat someone put as under 30 but i dialed in the because i'm 77.

host: happy to take your call. caller: i'm concerned. i'm a freak to watch tv. watch you all the time and senate. and social security was taken out of our check, my tkd was in 1935 when it was signed and he always talked about it and he drew social when he retired from the coal mines. the social cause security continued was taken out of people's working checks and insurance and who has the right to change in? all ess has changed in and the put it in the general fund it to cut downng debt and used to run the iraq afghanistan war and i don't understand how congress can go conscience and take people that worked hard and i worked for general of rs at the highest rate pay 12 years and i had

businesses all my life and i don't draw that. draw $1,300 and i draw my husbands. that much.aw when he passed away i went up to out at use i had taken 62 when i retired. can't understand how people think that all the people on social security is living so great because i know people that are doing without food to buy medicine because their social t. rity check doesn't cover i don't think when this law was passed this is what it was passed for. for the working people and shouldn't have been aken out and used for anything except the poor or working poor and that is who pays most of the money in. host: sharon epperson, explain how and when can the federal touch money in the social security fund. . pbig concern that the money has taken money from social security and that trust depleted by 2034

nd the disability fund will be depleted by 2016. very big concern under shared by many. issue though at hand is congress will do with congress will do. be able to do with your money. people are concerned about what time.t main for me at my you mentioned you are nowhere $2,000. the maximum social security benefit is a little over $2,000 can receive. many people are just like you getting well below this monthly and trying to figure out how to make ends meet. so important is people also put in their own money for retirement. in you have worked so hard your businesses working at a you should b and have social security to help you. in cost of rise living that will not be enough for many to live on. it is important to take control of your own

retirement and be able to have retirement own savings. that is difficult to tell 77 relying on social security and retirement income. you have not been working for i'm sure but it is something that folks who are still working need to think about. the onlyot going to be money you will be able to live on for retirement. you will have to put some money your own and have some stake in the game on your own in erms of building your own retirement security. host: you and the call are mentioned the disability fund. compare with the health of the social security fund overall? going to is obviously be demeeted in 2016 -- depleted it is not doing as well and that is a big concern for that fund.o rely on there are going to have to be enable made to this to people who need it to be able to access it. the concern about

congress allowing some of the funds to be used for other there's going to have to be on the other side people figuring out how it can be there need it.e that host: sharon epperson with cnbc your calls. we go to mount kisko, new york. tom for those between 30 and 50. caller: i was calling on a similar topic of the previous was, is d my question it true that the first time when congress actually changed it was a separate trust fund but 1960's cost of the vietnam war to mask the cost of the war was social security into the general fund and that is when this started. was revious caller referring to the iraq and afghanistan war but my nderstanding is this again during the vietnam war and can e traced back to need to fund war for the military empire.

you : the big concern mentioned is this fund has been working purposes many people didn't anticipate. when we look at the wars and been used for,as that is the deepest concern of policemeople. the issue is how we can make sure going forward there will be social security for those in terms of benefits for those disability and retirement benefits. that should be the folk of -- that should be the folk. host: does it surprise you polling asking when individuals retire how much they expect to rely on social showing the numbers that those who think it is going o be a minor source of what they will rely on for funding at 48% those who say a major source of income just 36%. and those who say not going to a source at 14%.

those are the latest numbers from gallup this year. guest: that is not surprising to me. i meet many working people who there fork it will be them at all. that is i don't think going to be the case. fact they are thinking that way if it spurs them to on their own may be a good way to think about it. some ere is going to be form of social security out there for many people. be a minor at will part of your overall savings or retirement security and that is the way to think about it because for many people it to be the smaller part because it won't be enough for you to live on and you will have to have some other source of income and that will have to come from the savings that you done on your own. he fact we are seeing many companies doing away with pensions if you were fortunate enough to have one that is the steady stream of

guaranteed income. for most people they are having retirement on their own and the way to do that is start saving early. saying it because there is no simpler way to do it. over now, 50 and john is in lakeland, florida. caller: good morning. you had an expert on there once before about social security and the money goes from that into a no wonder, they treasury bills at 2%. stocks t they invest in and bonds and everything else -- bonds but stocks that pay ore money and that is my comment. no wonder they are going broke. is taken by the fund.l

thank you. host: another question about the of the fund right now. guest: that is a very big want on and one many who to fix social security say it perhaps is a way to change it have it invested more aggressively than the funds are at this particular time. idea going in it is that you want to have the money instruments as safe as possible and you want it to be a questioned stream of income and you don't want to have to deal with the major market luctuations you see if it is invested in stock mutual fund and such. o, that is the rationale currently. whether or not it changes down the road we will see. it will be invested any more aggressively because again the idea is to make sure money is there for people when they need it. host: following up on the question, jeff on twitter asks how is the social ty portion of security funded?

guest: the disability portion of again you have the disability fund and you have the general fund for the benefits. that disability fund is used for hose people who are able to draw on thated a show the qualifications that are needed. a..gov and to s.s. afplt expla how you could qualify for the disability benefits and available to y be you. the same is true for your retirement benefits. in there tant to go and check to make sure you know when is your full retirement age and again it is probably not 65. likely 66 or 67. when can you withdraw your social security to get it full benefit. at 62. take it early what will it mean if you delay. s ot of good information at ssa.gov to find out what the you.fits mean for host: what do you think people

should consider when trying to figure out whether to take or wait until later? guest: generally i think it is very wise to wait until later. certainly you can take retirement benefits at 62 but often as be reduced much as 30% of full retirement benefits from social security be.ld it is important to look at what the benefit would be at 66 or 67. poor health, if you really are financially strapped and need that money then maybe taking at 62 makes sense. at full retirement age or those that don't need it or delay it longer until age 70 you can see the monthly benefit increase by as 8% a year. that is really the ideal thing if you can wait but the majority people say i worked hard and we heard it with the first of thesed i worked all years and i want my money. i'm going to take my money at 62 get it.as he can

the government took it and new it is mine. many thinkto be what and decide. but the reality is you are yourself short. you could get more if you waited. you look at the difference 2010 -- you look between waiting age 62 versus until 70 you could see an increase as much as 76% in benefits. now when it is below $2,000 and getting by it may not seem like a lot but if you could make a it big difference. host: another poll to show the age do the question what you expect to retire and those who said they expect to retire of 65 at 37%, you from e the trend line up 1996 when just 14% said they 65.d retire over the age of those who said they would retire 65, 32%.

those at 65 just 24%. to alan on the phone in brooklyn, new york, on the line over. host: good morning. when at the talk about what kind and services may be required to chose the budget gap gap it ose the budget upsets me the level of public nformation on reasons for a shortfall are really very low. there's very little discussion didt the fact that not only they borrow against general funds to cut taxes on the rich administration, but basically if you compare it madoff situation when performance were told they -- wind tpaufl profits an weekendfall profits and the money was illegally gained and it there o returnen was the idea of a claw back and the money was never the property they had ho thought the windfall. he tax cuts given to people financed by money drawn from the

rust fund the way i view the money taken to pay investors in the madoff fund and they should recovered from the wealthy as new taxes but the claw backs of money never really entitled to be rich who were benefiting from the tax cuts when they had to draw from a pay the tax cuts. if people understood this they not talkinge we are about new taxes, just justice that was money essentially stole n. i think that people ought to it in those terms in to congress ng saying may we raise taxes on the wealthy. whether a matter of but when. host: do you want to comment on that? say to ne thing i would alan is one fix that many people is suggesting for security that the income level to which

thisenefits you are paying social security is raised. some people have asked and we aw this question on twitter people saying wait a minute. why are the wealthy, do they social security at $120,000 when they should be pay.nuing to that is one of the fixes people saying maybe we should lift that level to $250,000 so you taken outhaving taxes until your salary reaches so that or higher continue it ricans pay to perhaps fix the problem. ost: we go it walter on the line 50 and over. he is in culverson, north carolina. caller: yes, sir. thank you for your expertise on particular subject.

guest: my pleasure. caller: i'm a retired businessman. businesses.d several 'm still part toime employee, self-employed and i have to pay in my particular self-employment business and i of retired and semiretired business people have a class dered if not ction lawsuit could be formed against the federal government for those funds that were stolen vietnam era and o'er ras and put into the general may be recovered and tppbfund by the eliminating real estate assets government. there are thousands of

government property that is just idle.g possibility?sible thank you for c-span and cnbc. thank you for watching us both and i appreciate the question. i don't really have an opinion that will or not happen. what i'm really curious about we lost the call as a business owner and semi retired my question to you and who are self-employed how much money are putting away you our own retirement as re building the pwebusiness and profiting from the business. many best owners are very day-to-day of the business and may not be putting their own y away for retirement in the many vehicles available to you to do so. self-modesto have you looked -- if you are self-employed are you looked epp ira.ven

are you putting money into an individual 401-k. amount of money that you plans is bute to the near $50,000 or more as the maximum contribution this year. but many people don't necessarily know about it nor are they doing it and some may don't really have the funds to do so but there are many ways for small business and self-employed individuals to put money way for requiremetirement in addition to social security so they will be able to get that as part of retirement savings plan and retirement income plan when they are fully retired. host: we go to maryland where angela is waiting on the line between 30 and 50. i'm a realist and i know most people do rely on social income.y for their that is going to probably be more so true in the future for a 30 and 40-year-olds

due to stagnant wages, cost of cost of raising a family. do ink what people need to instead of saying it is not going to be there or i won't demand that their approximately it'ses find the the -- politicians find money and don't raise the retirement age. it will be needed more in the future. it of the politicians. don't raise the retirement age. social security. host: sharon epperson, in the meantime what should people do they are taking that vase of advice how save in the meantime? you are in your 20's you mentioned so many things that are as a young person starting a family and tkpwrepbg the family and growing your career that are weighing on you in terms of different ways, ifferent places the money is going and different expenses grow.continue to

i do think study after study shows many young people expect ocial security to be there for them and want to be able to rely on it and want the guaranteed stream of income. but the reality is you have to your own skin in the game and particular out how you can save as much as possible. starting early and figuring out how you are going to live and how you will be able all of these competing forces that are rawing your money out of your wallet. the key here is to really just igure out how much you can start saving on your own and see how much you can increase that figure out the best way to put it to work for ou in different tax advantage accounts whether roth i.r.a. regular i.r.a. or as many of them muster. can host: frank is in nashville, tennessee. what sharon doing epperson was doing?

how much are you saving for retirement? i'm lucky.l, pension wasto get a guest: that is terrific. caller: i'm donate being the 401-k to the max. thing i wanted to say was if you don't have a pension, you will have social security most likely if all you have right now is a 401(k) the 401(k) is self-funded, and you have to have enough money to make sure you have enough to get a monthly check to pay your bills, and things like that. people now are talking about that they will not need social security. they may not need if they have a pension, but if they have a whatever, 403, or they will have to have that money. the thing is, the way to solve

the problem is to raise the cap. all of the screaming and hollering about the conspiracy theories, that seem like they come from the right wing people, that is complete nonsense. the thing is there are fewer people working. that is the problem. my people are having problems with social security. it used to be a certain number of people working, and now there are fewer people working. the thing is people are also living a lot longer. those are the main problems with social security. people living longer and fewer workers paying into social security. host: to put that in perspective, here is a chart from the peter peterson foundation, showing workers her beneficiary -- per beneficiary. workers.it was 3.7

in 2010, 2 .9 workers per beneficiary. 2030, expected to be at 2.2 workers per beneficiary. i will let you comment about the color situation. guest: he brings up a very good point. first of all, very fortunate to have a penchant and contributing to a 401(k), and to draw from social security. that is the ideal, and what many people for many years were able to do. we know tensions are going away. as the caller mentioned, very important to put money into your own 401(k). yes, you will rely on social security as well for supplemental income, but that is true that fewer people are working. it is a factor for there to be more funds in social security. also, the fact that people are living longer means that they will be jawing on that money for a lot longer. that is a very very very important point that we have not

talked about. that is securing your financial health and your health and .ell-being as a retiree you want to have social security there. some caller mentioned earlier that some people are having trouble to afford groceries and medicine on their social security check. the health care cost, i think people have not realized and factored in how much that will take out of your pocket when you retire. particularly if you take a job in your working years with great benefits, the money you might have to fund on your own with your health care needs, particularly if you get sick or have a chronic illness, can be extremely high. that is why there are other vehicles to save in terms of saving for your health. to do that early, whether it is getting a long-term health insurance policy to ensure that you are covered and have something that is able to pay for your care, or put something into -- right now, put

money into a health savings account. that will value to pay for your help these now, but if you don't have it, you don't really need save that money in the account. you can invest that money. you can invest in basically anything you want from stocks to bonds to other types of assets, let that money grow, and use that money to cover your health care needs in retirement. there are many things to do things on your own. in addition to having this money that you will have from the government that will allow you to save even more. that is why thing many americans don't realize and don't try to investigate, how they can make their money work for them. host: we are talking with sharon epperson of cnbc, a senior personal finance correspondent. hasould note that cnbc.com a special report tied to the 80th anniversary of the signing of the social security act into

law. we will get to as many of your calls as possible, including jim from ohio, on the line for those 50 and over. caller: good morning. my question is what about the people who cannot afford to put any money into an ira, or anything like that? two jobs,a job -- actually, barely making above minimum wage. by the time you pay for health insurance, groceries, household expenses, you have nothing left. i have come to the conclusion -- i will probably work until i die with no end in sight as far as retirement goes. is there any solution to this? guest: i think a lot of folks share your frustration. one of the things that the obama administration has come out with is an last two years account, designed for people who really don't have a lot of money ,o put away for retirement

to say something, and get a matching contribution. i would encourage you to look at website,he government and find out if that is of the you can contribute to with small amounts of money to start, but start building your savings. yes, many people say they have nothing left. what i say is there is often something that can be cut. in many cases -- i should say, in some cases, there is not something that can be cut, and you are already working full-time, you can't necessarily find another job. to be fully employed today, it is such an asset for people who are struggling and underemployed. if there is some place you can you a cell phone bill the can reduce, or cable bill the you can reduce, or groceries

that you can make sure buyything you buy -- you groceries on sale or with a coupon. any money you can save by doing that, put in the savings account, ira, the myra account, that is a place to start. it will add up very quickly. go to texas where laverne is waiting on the line for those between 30 and 50. caller: good morning. i work in a very large medical that has a pain management component to it as well. one of the things that we have found here -- there has been in a financial increase in the number of people coming in requesting paperwork to be filled out for disability. a lot of these people, maybe some of them yes have a true disability, but a lot of them who bynger people,

virtue of exams have no disability whatsoever. they are complaining of low back pain. we have a chiropractor in our office. they say they are depressed. there is no diagnosis of depression. they're going to all of these lawyers in the state of texas who says we can get you disability. if they are not disabled, why are they still able to get disability? this, by 2016,d it will be depleted. how will we sustain this? i'm working a full-time job and a part-time job just to make sure i have money for my retirement. i see this day in and day out. i don't know what the answer is here and maybe you have it. i don't know. we need to do something. kentuckyo look at where the great mitch mcconnell comes from. he has a county were 90% of the people are on some kind of

disability. this has to stop. our country cannot sustain this. host: sharon epperson, i will let you jump in. guest: the comments i would get with your comment and question is it is really something to look at in terms of people andng to beat the system, expecting that the government money is there, and i will just try to get as much as i can in any way i can from the government. i think we see that, as you have mentioned, more with disability benefits. know that that money has to be there for everyone. some who may not really be considering that as they look to see how much they can get for as long as they can get it, without really thinking about the long-term consequences for the rest of the country. mary whoweet from says, i am almost 65 and the significant other is 72, social

security is our only income, we are homeowners with no savings and a mortgage, we are not alone. guest: no, they are not alone. i wonder when they took their at 65 and 70.ty -- if they took at the full retirement age? it sounds like they really needed that money, so they took qualified. they think about the higher earning spouse not taking social security. if you do that, they might be benefit.et a higher many couples have been using that strategy to get more money from the government. it works for many families are many couples. you mentioned at cnbc.com is a place to go to find out more information about this. a lot more information about the

different strategies you can try to try to maximize your benefits. there has been a lot of discussion about why did the government do this, why is there not enough money that? yes, those are all concerns to raise to policy makers and legislators about what they should do to fix the problem, but the reality is you are living in this today, and need your money today, as much as you can get. to get sociale security, and you want to get the maximum benefits, really look at some of these stories for strategies. go to th another website, financialengines.com that has a social security plan or. -- planner. it can give you some ideas about the strategies you may want to pursue to maximize those social security benefits. the goal is really to get the

money in your hands when you need it, and as much as possible. you can continue to write letters, or contact your legislators to figure out how they can help you fix the system, but you need to fix your issues right now. i urge you to go to these websites and try to figure out how to get the most money in your wallet today. host: time for just a few more phone calls with sharon epperson of cnbc. jackie has been waiting in california on the line for those 50 and over. caller: thing for taking my call. i waited about time for this topic to come back on, and i have a few comments to make. one of them is when i started working in my 20's, i remember the amount taken out of your i wish they would have taken out more because i never realized how this program works. i think that should be for everybody, take out a little more to make it a more

sustainable program. this is one of my pet peeves against the republicans. program, to flip the and i don't understand how any republican that earns $100,000 or less wants to vote republican when they want to mess up the program so bad. other thing is i am lucky because i had a union job, which is som another thing that the republicans are against. wetnds up giving the almost i was make it when i was working full-time. there is something i heard a lot of time ago about people in their 20's, if they just put away $20 per week, they would have like half $1 million at the time of retirement. i don't have the figures, but they can talk to a professional who can tell them, if you put this amount away, you will end up with this amount down the road.

the people who earn over 100 $20,000 per year should definitely pay more into the program. it makes no sense why the millionaires don't pay more. host: sharon epperson? guest: she brings up so many good points. i think one of the keys -- you said you weren't so sure about the numbers. if a young person in their 20's saves $20 per week, they would you are pretty-- actor on the numbers, that could certainly happened. i hope you're shouting that from the rooftops wherever you live. it is very important to save on your own, and put more money in pure you may not be plenty more money into social security, but you can put more money into your , in order toira grow that money. that is a very important point. the questions you raise in terms comments you raised

are ones that others have raised ,s well -- raising the cap seeing if people can put more money into the fund. those of proposals that have been made. we will see where they go. again, the political angling we will have that more debate about it than actual action, but this is the time that people can do what you said, but the $20 in per week and see the money grow, invested wisely, and that you will have your own retirement security in your own hands. host: let's see if we can get in cal from utah. caller: listen, thank you for taking my call. i just want to say one quick thing. when the law was originally written, it was written in such a fashion that it says, any moneys that are not being paid out in benefits will be invested in u.s. treasury bonds.

a bond is a debt instrument. the many you put money into a treasury bond, you give politicians 100% access to the money. there are basically trillions of dollars of ious. from the very beginning, the politicians wrote the law so that any moneys that were not being paid out in benefits, they would have access to the moneys. thank you. another comment about the history here on the 80th birthday of social security. historys we look at the of social security, i think there have been many comments made about how that money has been used, how the program was initially set up. i think the reality is there many americans if they want to know how that system will work for them when they need it. how it will work today, 25 years from now, 35 years from now, 40 years from now when i need it.

i think it is very important even if you are just in your 20's, starting your career, look at what your potential benefits will be. the fsa website, it gives you a calculator. a great way to check in every and howwhere you stand much money you can rely on from the government, at least according to the calculations that time, and figure out what you will need to save on your own to build your retirement savings and security. it is so very important, and i am very concerned that many people are not really taking ,his into their own hands figuring out how they will be able to retire well. that is be subject of a series that i have done, and i continue to do every week to help educate people about the strategies they can take to make the most of

their money so they can rely on their cells when it comes to their retirement security. host: you can check out more of sharon epperson's work at cnbc.com. you can also follow her on twitter. we appreciate your time this morning on the 80th birthday of social security. guest: my pleasure. take ap next, we will look at the foster care system in the united states with robert the annie e casey foundation. a former foster child shared her experience in the system. [video clip] >> i was in an out foster care, exerting 12 years of care and more than 23 placements. still hoping to find my forever family. my most memorable plays that was with my great aunt, with whom i

lived a year and a half. my six siblings and i had been removed from my parents care for the first time after my mother went away to receive treatment for addiction, and my father was reported for neglect. my siblings and i would take to emergency shelter, and then my sister and i were placed with my great aunts. a senseith her gave me of love and security that i have never experienced again. eventually, my siblings and i were reunited with her parents, who relapsed on drugs. over the next years, my siblings and i would reenter care several times. at some point, my siblings began to have different cases and different social workers. things got very confusing.

at no point during any of my reentry's and foster care was kinship care brought up again. i come from a break family, i'm one of eight, and we are part of a bigger extended family. when libya by at, i saw my siblings regularly. i felt close to them. later, when we were spread out, my close-knit group became strangers to each other. before entering care, my siblings and i took care of each other because we had to. once our environment change, bonding became optional and that history became obsolete. by time of his 13, i worry that if one of my siblings past, i would not have anything to say at their funeral. i view the multiple reunification does prove that my parents wanted to be part of my life. my reentry into foster care is also proof that they did not know how to heat me safe.

entering foster care is a genetic experience for all parties involved. my father felt invaded because where raised in a family what happens in the home happens in the home. my mother fell victimized, hunted by her own experience in foster care as a child. for many years, my mother struggled to get and stay clean. her battles with mental illness raise eightility to kids, as well as dependence on an abusive man made it impossible to take care of us. i like became a vicious cycle of neglect and instability. host: we are spending our last 45 minutes focusing on the foster care system in the united states. to do that, we are joined by rob geen of the annie e. casey foundation. goes a step shot -- give us a

snapshot of foster care in the united states. guest: let's start with the beginning of the system. about 6.4 million children per year are referred to protective services because there is a concern about a child being abused or neglected. about half of that number, about investigatedillion are . from that, about 700,000 kids per year are determined to be victims of abuse and neglect. of that, 1.2 million children receive some type of follow-up service. some victims receive service, some non-victims receive service. one service could be placed in foster care. at any one time, there are about 400,000 kids in foster care. host: on average, how long do kids stay in foster care? range, onre is a long

average, 12 months. you hear stories in a paper about kids spending 8, 9, 10 years. that is the exception. the system is designed to be temporary and return kids home. host: we mentioned that rob gee n is with the annie e. casey foundation. explain what it is. is dedicated to improving the lives of children across the united states. it is one of the largest private foundations in the country. we have delivered over two point $2 billion. .ost: (202) 748-8000 youreen is here to take comments. all others, (202) 748-8001. what are your key proposals for reforming the foster care system

in the united states? guest: there are number of areas where we seek improvement. i want to start by saying child welfare often gets a bad rap in the press. we think of the system as broken and are constantly criticizing it. we should recognize that there have been lots of improvements made in the system. the system really only began in the 1980's. that is when the current system was structured. ofhas evolved in a friday ways, and yet, there are lots of challenges. for one, there are areas of underinvestment. we spend too much money on foster care, and not enough preventing the need for foster care. another issue is the workforce. is makinge caseworker a salary that we would never consider to be very generous, and yet they have one of the hardest jobs imaginable. we have caseworkers turning over, caseworker is not prepared to do their job, and making

critical decisions about children in a crisis situation. part of the workforce is the foster parents themselves. when you can about what a child is doing in foster care, they are spending 24 hours per day in system.t of we need to do better to assess the needs of kids. are we meeting their needs? are we placing them in the right situation? are they getting the right services? if they have been in the system and neglected, they have had some sort of trauma that needs to be addressed. host: can you talk about the funding stream for the foster care system in the united states? what federal dollars go into it? guest: let's start from the broadest sense. we spent about $30 billion per year and child welfare.

thettle less than half of money comes from the federal government. there are a number of different funding streams that states have to patch together to create the system. unfortunately, more money is dedicated to foster care than to preventionn -- or other services that we would like to see. i'm number of improvements i talked about spending more money. the system is underfunded. we need to align the funding better with what we know works. for example, foster care is expensive. we can save money by actually preventing foster care by supporting birthparents better so there is not a need for foster care. once in the foster care system, we place way too many children in and still to july's -- institutionalized care. host: that is the group system? guest: correct. there are some kids who need a

short-term residential state to meet their needs. that is an essential part of the system. that should be like an emergency room. we should get a short-term, immediate therapeutic intervention, but we turned that into a family setting. that residential setting is far far more expensive. if we can make sure that if children are with families, we can save money and get better outcomes. host: who makes a determination if a child goes to a foster parent or a group home? is that judge? psychologist jack goa dr.? guest: the caseworker is making the recommendation. they present that to a judge, and the judge authorizes. primarily, the decision is made by the caseworker. host: we are focusing on the foster care system. we have a special line for those who have experience in the foster care system. if you have questions or

comments. let's start with deborah, calling in on that line from new haven, connecticut. caller: good morning. this is such a great subject. i was in foster care at the lincoln wants system in yonkers, new york. i was there from birth. i was product of a rape. can you hear me? host: yes, go ahead. hospital 30ayed in days until foster family was found for me. they were very middle-class, they did well. she stayed home. the environment was pretty good. i have to say that was pretty good. visits a year to lincoln wants. they had to do a psychological assessment. twice a year, without fail, i went. the problem i had was that later 12,at a certain age, around

they left it up to me whether i wanted to go stay with my birth mother. my birth mother just happened to .e developmentally disabled she had just come out of a ittal institution, and really wasn't a good decision. i stayed with her about a year. again, ind to go which case, the kind of lost me in the system. i went from being homeless at like 13, living in the street, to another group home, back to a foster home, to another foster home. you, from that day to this, i am not seen another worker. aging out, that is a whole another experience. they are supposed to give you some type of support when you age out. i didn't receive any. i just sort of melted into society.

18, as a mental, how do i pay rent, get a job, how do i do this or that? the states have system set up, but they don't tell you that we do give you assistance, we help you. connecticut now, i know foster children who get help. they play bills, a little stipend so they can live on their own. that is not advertised or pushed . you don't even really know what you are entitled to as a foster child. whyust want to say this -- not give more support to the parents before they are getting out of the homes if it is not a matter of life and death? how about giving them some support if you really do find of the parents have no parental

skills whatsoever. how about making that mandatory, going to parenting classes, past passnting classes -- parenting classes. i think that as a whole lot cheaper than yanking children out into a system that will recap the godless society as a whole. 70% of all foster children and up and prison. host: i appreciate you sharing your story, i want to let rob geen address the concerns you bring up. thet: before i address points, let me say how thrilled i am that you called in. we rely on the experiences of young people who experience the system to guide our policy development. we know the people who have been affected by the system are much more knowledgeable than any policy maker about how to fix the system. let me start with the aging out question. it is a critical one. there was a period in our

history where we let kids age at with almost nothing. we gave them a trash bag, but then gathered their goods, and sent them on the way with maybe a $50 check, and then they ended up in a homeless shelter. we have done a lot recently to try to improve the way we people aging out. we have even extended the amount of time that they can stay in foster care from 18 to 21. i had two teenagers, and i don't think they are ready to leave home at age 18. we realize that foster kids aren't either. nationalis the minimum? guest: not every state has extended to 21. it is optional. a child does not have the but we have seen, very much success in states that have extended.

frankly, if a child ages out, we have failed as a parent. we are the parent when a child comes into childcare. they should have permanency, they should have a permanent family to call home, whether it is their birth family, a relative, or deductive family. we need to do a lot more to prevent kids from aging out. your first point about supporting birthparents so that children don't need foster care is the point i was trying to make initially. we need to do more than that. unfortunately, a lot of them don't work well. there are programs that we can invest in, realigning resources. let's stop spending money on work, we know that don't and channel money into things that do work. host: let's go back to the line for those who have experience in the foster care system. elaine is in jackson,

mississippi. caller: i was a foster mom. i would like to say that the system here worked very well for me at the time. i had taken a teenager and her baby. .he was 16 then she is 32 now. we are still in contact. i have like to say that a lot of support with her in the foster care system. i worked very well with the caseworkers. one of the things i did realize, for my foster daughter, is that some homes have too many children in them. maybe that comes from a shortage of people who want to be foster parents. , multipleese children children in one home, is not a good idea. as a parent, you can only parent a child well if you have a few

children. with myle to do that child. when she did a job, she got a lot of support. she was able to get her own go toent, and she could school. she is doing very well. i think it depends on the kind of homes you put children in, and how they work with the system also. let me start by thanking you for your service, and having .een a foster parent it is incredibly important that we have people that are willing and capable of doing that. there are far more people who want to be foster parents then we tap into. i'm glad you had a positive

experience. florida was a model for legislation that was passed last with an incentive to the state to make sure that foster parents are given the opportunity to make decisions for their kids. it is what we refer to as a prudent parenting standard. foster parents should be able to make decisions as a prudent parent, rather than constantly asking the agency for permission of what to do. when the child goes into care, the first option, before we look at stranger foster care is a relative. if i could not take care of my teenagers, the first option would be someone who they trust and someone who knows them. it will be dramatic and they have to leave our house anyway. the chama will be minimized, to some extent, if they -- the trauma will be minimized, to some extent, if they know the person. we have to tap into the generosity of people who are willing to be foster parents.

if we treat them well, if we change the relationship that we have with foster parents, and not just say, you are here on a , you are actually here as a partner with us and raising these children, b will have a lot more people willing to do that work. unfortunately, i don't think we are doing that throughout the united states. host: i should know, if you want ,geen's workof rob you can go to the annie e. casey website. surely from texas is on next. caller: good morning. my observation has been i was aout the years -- guardian ad litem for nine or 10 years. i have been on the child protective services board here in texas for the last couple of

years. seen through the judges sometimes -- and i found this to be true in -- iuri and texas as well had one case where the young man aged out of the system. he was a quadriplegic, blind, and the judge sentenced him to a home that was in the next town away from where his mother against thelived recommendation of his doctor and myself, as his guardian ad litem. here in the state of texas, we have a judge that would not

place the children in the grandfather grandmother's custody because of a comment thatthe grandmother made was not in biking with what the judge said. sometimes, we just have situations -- personality situations that come into play that are not in the best interest of the children. where they have come in and accused parents of doing things when the child is sitting there saying, no, that is not what happened. and they start a full-scale investigation on the individual, and find that the child was absolutely right. tois dramatic for family

have child protective services come into their home and keeping them of things when that was not the case at all. sharingappreciate you your experience in texas and missouri. i want to ask you, the judge is in charge of taking some of these final decisions. how much training to judges get in the background of what is best for children, what the studies have shown? raisesi'm glad shirley this issue. fosterk of childcare as parents and social security agencies. the judiciary, the judges, the guardian ad litem plays critical roles in oversight. frankly, there are not many judges that see the family bench as their career. this cycle through different circuits, and they don't necessarily spend a lot of lifetime as family court judges. we have a large number of judges who don't have a lot of detail experience, so they air on one

side or the other. the rubberstamp what the agency suggests or the other side, they take their own biases and make decisions about it. i think there has been improvement over the last several years to invest more in the judiciary. both the attorneys and the judges. it is easy for judges -- with the group care facility, they say, this is a great place to place a child, not recognizing research,ow about institutions are bad for development. the love of a family is so much more important that the shiny floors of an institution. they don't fully appreciate that because they have not had the education. there are number of organizations working to improve that. let's go to lee said michigan, who has had expanded in the foster care system. caller: i have been trying to

children, and they are making me take foster throughg classes and go foster caring licenses in order to adopt. i don't like the whole thing you -- to where they can dish new kids on you that there taking away from the parents, and i can't even go into the foster care system and get some teenagers that have been there for years into my home. guest: many states have moved into this crossed a. dual training.- adopt dual they want to make sure that it is a seamless process. like lisa, who,

don't want to be foster parents, that only want to adopt. there is a similar training suggested for those types of parents. it is not just like parenting her own child. children have had to medicaid finances, and you need to understand how to best meet their needs. i would be shocked if lisa were. -- lisa were forced to take a foster child. even though it is a dual process, and she could be licensed as a foster parent, she would likely only receive kids that were available for adoption. host: let's go to joan. caller: good morning to you. i met a young man and his mom when he was two. i was involved through his lifetime. my idea, and i will go on with my story later, is that the foster care system should try --

not to educate so much the theer parent -- but take real parent and educate them so that you can reunite that child with his own family. i that doesn't work, then could see passing him onto someone else. the young man i knew went into a foster home with someone that worked for the foster care system. it was not, to me, a very good experience for him. she worked all day, was a single foster mother, and had a young man and a young girl in the same related.t were not she ran their lives like a joe sargent. he left at home from the time he was born until he left, without knowing anything about how a loving family could be.

he did have some other foster parents, but he wasn't allowed to stay with them. when he left the foster care home, which there were some really unpleasant things, and he got off his medication, they would no longer have anything to do with him. i helped him as much as i could with caring and making sure he made right decisions for himself . now he is married, he has a little girl, and a wife, but as far as being knowledgeable about anything that he should have learned through those years, he doesn't have it. , think they should start instead of the tail wagging the dog, they should take the dog who wags the tail, and educate the parent, and try to reunite them, rather than have these kids jump from one house to another house to another house .n without loving care

host: i appreciate the call. guest: i think you are absolutely right. there's no substitute for loving family. that is what we want for our own kids, that is what we want for all the children, who unfortunately have to be removed from their home. let me clarify one thing. the child wit welfare system is designed to be a temporary respite. about two thirds of the children to exit foster care each year are either be united with her birth family, or given to a relative. we focus a lot on children who age out. it is a little less than 10% of the kids. and, we focus a lot on the doctor, but again, that is a small portion. the system is designed exactly as you suggested. i think we can improve on our reunification, and making sure that when children

are in the system, they stay connected to those with families, regardless of how long -- whether it is one become a one month, where one year in care, they should have contact with their family. twitter,uestion from how do you determine if the family is eligible to be foster care parents? guest: this is a state-by-state los licensing process. it is a combination of who you are as a person, and also your home -- is it safe, do you have enough space, all of that. there is a fairly extensive background check. i would suggest that the current licensing system is actually overly burdensome. my wife and i have laughed at times -- we are raising two teenagers in the district of columbia, and our house might not be eligible because there is a requirement that every second-story bedroom have a

letter going outside in case of a fire. with teenage kids, that la ddde might actually be a safety riskr. it prevents the number of relatives from acting as foster parents. yes, there is a fingerprinting process, criminal background check, here is the question -- you come up with the criminal background, and you had a grandmother who had a shoplifting charge when she was 18, she is now 63 and wants to take care of her granddaughter denieduld she be the from taking care of her granddaughter? host: and she would? guest: it depends on the state and the crime. there are lots of concerns around drugs and alcohol.

a very small amount of marijuana would raise the crime to felony, and that would prevent the person from caring. has also had expands in the foster care system in this country. good morning. caller: good morning. my childrend was were removed from my home. i was pregnant at the time. the social worker came to my my other children, i had another child in the hospital while i was pregnant, and she said, do you have any other family members? the father and mother was there and said, yeah, i can take the children. she wrote in the report that no one was available, and she took my children to the group home. it took me two years to get my children back. they are back home. i went through a lot, and my children went through a lot as well. two of my children, their

grandmother worked for social services at the time. she was telling the social worker that i was on drugs, and prostituting, when i worked for the department of education for the state of louisiana. i have never been on drugs or prostituted. i went to my parenting classes. i got done with everything within 4-6 months, but when you have somebody who is working for the system, telling them things , they quite naturally, they will believe her over me. guest: i'm sorry for your experience. unfortunate, there are relatives available in most cases, and they're not always given consideration. it goes back to the decision of judges. thinkt caseworkers to about it from their own perspective. federal law in state law requires that the agency first notify relatives that the child

is coming into care and give them every opportunity to care for them. in this instance, the law was not followed. there should be a number of backdrops, but the caseworker should be first. there should be a supervisor asking, why are we placing this child in a place other than with relatives? and if they are appropriate, why aren't they appropriate? they don't have an extra bed? , give them a bed. host: a comment from twitter -- a friend and his wife got into financial trouble to get more income, their fight for foster care and got approved. guest: you hear in the media about foster parents doing so for the money. many foster parents would tell you that is crazy. the amount of money it takes to raise a child is much higher than the reimbursement that they get.

parentsthat most foster give a considerable amount of their own income to support the children. there will be rare exceptions where they will get more than one child, and kids with special needs, which are often providing additional resources, but that is the very exception. you guard against that i really getting to know the foster checklist,t just a by understanding their motivation for doing this, interviewing them, and getting to know them. host: timothy, also with experience in the foster care system in this country. good morning. caller: good morning. as areason i'm calling -- child, growing up, i was in the foster care system a little bit. my mom was sick a lot, so i was taken out of the house. not because she was bad or good,

or anything like that. the reason i called is because i have a complaint against foster care in our legal system. i have a granddaughter who is a in north dakota. her and herdered sister to their biological grandmother. minimal.cation was involvedmother was not . now, one of them is supposed to , and as aster care biological grandfather, i would like to be involved in the girl's life, but i can't. not legal problems, but family problems with my son.

system gives the the family of these children the ability to be involved with them growing up.going u thank you very much, sir. guest: families are complex. when you have multiple family members tried to figure out what is best is a challenge for the caseworker. one of the best practices that we are trying to implement throughout the country, and to get states to pay attention to his family engagement. team decision-making. that means bringing the family together to make decisions about what happens to a child. the caseworker should not be making a decision, or the judge make a decision, in isolation. let's bring everyone who knows the child around the table and

discuss, what is best? who is willing to take the child? who is willing to drive them to football practice? family around the child. host: what if there are competing interests? is that democratic process where everyone gets a vote to go where everyone gets a vote? they get the input from everyone, they can see the family dynamics and help manage them. if there is another relative who says, this isn't the best interest, then, why? again, families are complex, but having that as a mediator and understanding all sites to the story is an effective process. host: just a few minutes left. also washington, d.c., with experience in the foster

care system. 46 years old. i was in foster care. when i was eight months old, my mother fractured my school, and , and-- fractured my skull then i got taken from the family. i got put in foster care for almost five years. my foster mother was elderly, and actually died in 1978, 4 years after i got taken into an adoptive family. i was adopted by someone who is now deceased. kids, andeven natural they adopted 30. i turned on the show and heard that 30% of foster kids ended up in prison. in my family, of the 30 that themadopted, two of term up in prison long

. the vast majority of everyone else is ok. i guess the lesson learned is my parents had a rule that you had to get adopted, you could not just be a foster child until you were 18. you had to get adopted, and take on the last name, which is why i am a black man with the last name.h last they really emphasize the sense of family. i think that is what is missing a lot of times in foster care. when they turn 18 and are sent with me, i'm -- going to see my mother later this month, on her birthday. said, i think we should emphasize a real sense of family and bl belonging.

it is about the family, taking on the last name, and become part of the family. , ande two white parents i'm a black man, as i said. host: thank you for the call. few steps in that comment, can you go over those? prison rates for those who have been in foster care. guest: i'm glad you raised that because i think it is misleading . a prior call it had made that claim -- 70%. the vast majority of kids who are served our view to five, return to a relative, and then the next segment of kids are adopted. it is a small percentage of kids that age out. amongst that grew, there is a high prevalence of prison involvement. i'm not sure it is 70%? inon't have the number o front of me.

we sailed up by aging out, and preparing them after the age out, that number is hopefully coming down, but it is still a concern. host: let's go caller: good morning. i am calling because you don't stand a chance. get do not help families back together. they care them down. when they go to college, they don't be one of them, it be a whole bunch of them and they tell all kind of lies about you. i have experienced this. i had a grandson in tampa, florida, and he was in foster care and he was raped and it was swept under the rug like it was nothing. , they took hison children. the mother got on drugs and he went to court trying to get his

children and they told all kind of lies on him. beat, youer seen a just don't stand a chance. whatever they say, it goes. like you do not have rights or anything and it is just not right. some kids need to be in foster care, and then there are some that do not belong in foster care. they do not take time to work and investigate. they just jump up into a family and terry down. host: in our last minute. caller: as i said earlier, the majority of kids to come in our -- we do need to do more to support birth families to prevent the need for foster care. when we started before we went on it, you mentioned to me that one of the motivations for doing this was the hearing in congress last week. there has been a bill introduced