WASHINGTON NEWS

Abstract

<h3>Summary of HR 11865, the "Social Security Admendments of 1964."—</h3> The Ways and Means Committee bill increasing Social Security taxes and benefits and bringing physicians under Social Security is described below. In approving the bill, the committee set aside the administration's King-Anderson plan of limited hospital-medical benefits for the aging. <h3>Across-the-Board Benefit Increase</h3> The bill provides a 5% across-the-board benefit increase, effective with respect to all Social Security insurance benefit payments which would be due for the second calendar month following the date of enactment of the bill. (For example, if the bill should be enacted in July, benefit checks for the month of September would reflect the 5% benefit increase. ) Increases will thus go to each of the more than 20 million Social Security beneficiaries on the rolls. The family maximum benefit would be increased to $300 per month when the increase in the earnings base to $5,400 (now