That was the original design for social security. Roosevelt was a master politician because he got this popular system in place, most everybody was required to pay into it, but constrained it so that very few Americans would live long enough to benefit from it. Since then longevity has increased while the retirement age has changed little.
Just look at it as a generational benefit.
PSA tests and PAP smears are cheap. If you think you need one, pay for it yourself if you have to. Likewise with colonoscopys (which are not cheap, but can save you a world of trouble if they detect something wrong.)
There's been a long hiatus where the states have been bearing most of the social costs of welfare, but with the increase in the number of retirees, that has shifted to the federal government. That's why all this is such a big deal now. They've been promising and giving more benefits for decades. Now it's time to pay up and they are balking because they can't pay for it without screwing over all the remaining taxpayers.
