Debate Round III: Where the candidates stand on debt and entitlements

Six topics were chosen by moderator Chris Wallace for the third and final presidential debate. The 90-minute event will be divided into six 15-minute segments, with both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump speaking on the topics. Here’s where the two candidates stand on debt and entitlements, based on their previous statements.

Debt and entitlements

Both Social Security and Medicare are pay-as-go programs, and both are being drained by retiring baby boomers faster than they’re being refilled by younger workers. Both candidates have said they oppose raising the retirement age and cutting cost-of-living increases.

Clinton: She would make the Social Security program more solvent by lifting the cap on income subject to the tax, currently at $118,500, and possibly taxing capital gains and other investment income. She’d like to expand benefits for caregivers and widows. As for Medicare, Clinton wants to allow people to be able to buy into the system at 55 (it’s 65 now), allow Medicare to negotiate prescription prices and bundle payments for multiple providers involved in care, instead of the current a la carte billing for services provided.

Trump: His proposals have been short on specifics, but he’s said he’d fix Social Security by ridding the program of waste, and bolstering economic growth through tax reform and new trade deals. As for Medicare, he has said he’d like to rein in the cost of prescription drugs.

Sources: USA Today, NPR