Any cuts the federal government makes to Social Security and Medicare would have a drastic effect on Idaho recipients, according to AARP Idaho, especially in Kootenai County.

With Congress considering altering entitlement services to address the daunting federal deficit, AARP has released a breakdown of how Idaho counties would be affected.

In Kootenai County, 27,935 Social Security recipients would be affected, and 24,128 Medicare beneficiaries.

That's the second-highest number of recipients of all Idaho counties, coming in behind Ada County with 53,865 collecting Social Security and 47,161 on Medicare.

"There is a larger elderly population in Kootenai County. This is a group that will likely feel the effects of any cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits," said David Irwin, AARP Idaho spokesperson, adding that these numbers are a few years old and probably higher now.

Proposals are being weighed at the national level to reduce the cost of Medicare and Social Security.

These include changing how cost-of-living adjustments are calculated for Social Security, so retirement pay would be less over multiple decades.

"In the long run, people will receive less," Irwin said.

There are also proposals to shift more Medicare costs onto beneficiaries, as well as to subsidize health care, which AARP worries won't correlate with rising health care costs.

The discussions have prompted AARP to launch a Protect Senior campaign, including the Idaho counties breakdown, to urge Congress to take the programs out of the debate altogether.

"What AARP wants to do is make sure the programs are strong, and people get the benefits that they earned," Irwin said.

Low-income beneficiaries can't afford to lose any of their assistance, Irwin said.

Populations paying into Social Security right now are less financially prepared for retirement than previous generations, Irwin said, compounding the importance of monthly Social Security checks, the average only containing $1,000.

"There's about a quarter of the state's 65-plus population that counts on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income," Irwin said. "Any reduction is going to hit that group particularly hard."

He added that with rising health costs, those over 65 who qualify for Medicare depend on it to cover basic healthcare, including prescription drugs and visits to the doctor.

"Your average Medicare beneficiary has an income of $22,000," he said. "I'll tell you that $22,000 goes very quickly."

Gathering her things after a line dancing class at the Lake City Center, Violet Clausen said she depends on Social Security to cover the majority of her expenses.

"To live on," the 89-year-old said of how she uses the monthly checks.

Her pension from Washington State University helps, she added, but she couldn't get by on that alone.

"Not with house insurance, taxes, car insurance, everything," the Hayden woman said.

Her friend Margaret Crowell, 88, added that without Social Security, she would have to dip into her savings for daily expenses.

"Think of everybody who doesn't have that," Crowell added. "They would not be able to exist."

Medicare is crucial for her, too, she added. Although she only has "everyday" medical problems, she couldn't afford healthcare without the government's help.

"With the expenses between the doctor and medicine, you can't make it," she said.

Gene Michel, leaving Davis Donuts on Thursday, said he's lucky that he can pair his Social Security checks with his pension from Darigold.

"Between the two, I get by pretty well," the 83-year-old said, adding that the government check is eaten up fast paying for groceries and rent. "I don't know how people nowadays who only have Social Security, how they can afford to get by."

Covering basic medical expenses isn't possible without Medicare, he added.

"I wouldn't be able to afford it," he said.

AARP reports that 260,000 Idaho residents receive Social Security, and 225,735 rely on Medicare.

Congress is vying to make a decision on the nation's debt before the Aug. 2 deadline for increasing the government's borrowing authority.

Jim Risch, Idaho's U.S. Senator, is opposed to any cuts to Social Security and Medicare, said the senator's spokesperson, Brad Hoaglund.

"He thinks it's irresponsible to do that, to make major changes to these programs in the short time that they have," he said.

The debt crisis is still a challenge, though, Hoaglund said, adding that the U.S. spends $3.8 trillion and borrows $1.6 billion every year.

Lindsay Northern, spokesperson for Sen. Mike Crapo, said that no proposals at the Senate about tweaking Social Security or Medicare would reduce benefits for folks currently receiving them.

"What's being discussed is for down the road," he said. "I will tell you that any discussions about reducing benefits to those currently receiving those will be a non-starter in the Senate, and probably can't pass."

According to statistics from the Congressional Budget Office, Medicare comprises 15 percent of federal spending, costing $572 billion.

Social Security makes up 20 percent, more than Defense that makes up 19 percent, costing $727 billion.

It's unfair to cut these programs, Crowell said, pointing out that her husband paid into Social Security the entire 36 years he worked at a telephone company, so it would last them in retirement.

"I don't think it should be cut. It was put in for that purpose, not for balancing the budget," she said.

Learn more

• For information about current Medicare and Social Security benefits, contact Senior Health Information (SHIBA) at 1-800-488-5725 or 208-666-6847