Can't you replace "retiree" with citizen/employee and use the same argument to advocate for a planned economy and/or company towns? ie.

"Providing citizens with cash, which they then use to independently procure good and services across millions of individuals, is fundamentally inefficient.

Instead, we should treat each citizen as a ward of the state, and provide them with Government housing, cell phone and plan, food (cooked or ingredients), and a limited amount of electricity/water - plus a small stipend for private purchases."