Republicans eye using debt limit hike to overhaul entitlement programs if entrusted with majority

House Republicans may enact changes to Social Security and Medicare despite pushback from Democrats if the GOP gains a majority in Congress in the midterms.

"We're going to make sure that if you've paid into the system, your benefits are not going to be cut," said Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia, who is running to be the top Republican on the House Budget Committee. "But starting from there we need to look at these programs and figure out ways to make them sustainable, make them stand on their own."  Haris Alic is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering Congress. 

Given the politically volatile nature of the issue, Republicans are treading carefully. Some have proposed raising the retirement age for both Medicare and Social Security. Currently, the age of eligibility for Medicare is 65, while for Social Security the age is either 66 or 67 depending on whether you were born before or after 1954.