Healtcare Reform Part I

Health Care Reform Project I

HCS/ 440

Katherine Weber

April 11, 2015

When we talk about the aging population we are faced with the realization that we are against the baby boomers. As each one continues to hit the age 65, we wonder how we will be able to survive when our turn comes and what medical coverage will we have if any. The rising cost of medical coverage and the longevity of our aging population play very important roles in our healthcare system.

Medical Care for an Aging Population

As the population continues to age, it becomes apparent that the baby boomer generation has vastly excelled the age at which they are expectant to pass. Even though many Americans are living longer lives, they are also presented with more health problems than ever before. In 1900, there were your common causes of death presented such as influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gastrointestinal infections. With advanced medical care, what was at one point non-treatable is now treatable and chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and fibrosis have become more apparent. Healthcare has become one of the main issues that the aging population now faces as the cost of medical treatment and coverage cost five times more than the average American. The real cost for the aging population is that even though they will have coverage, the cost of the coverage comes with a cost. Now more than ever research looks at the next younger generation to take care of the elders.

Long-Term Challenges

The baby boomer generation has hit its peak when it comes to medical coverage within the United States health care system. Finding adequate ways to help the older generation poses risk to the current economic economy as well as the future of the economy. With Medicare and Social Security being the baby boomer backbone, having most of the older population over the age of 65 adds strain to the programs. As research continues to grow with the younger generation, for example the younger...