News & Politics - Aging population poses global challenges

mh67511 · 02-02-2005, 01:37 AM

It's a two page article so I'll just post a link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6896596/

The part I found most interesting:

Quote:

The Congressional Budget Office estimated five years ago that federal spending on the elderly would grow to more than $1 trillion -- 43 percent of the budget -- by 2010 from $615 billion -- or 35 percent of the federal budget -- in 2000. By 2015, spending on the elderly will consume nearly half the federal budget, through Medicare and Medicaid, pensions for federal workers and military retirees, veterans' health care and pensions, coal miners' benefits, Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, heating and housing assistance and other programs for the elderly, according to the Brookings Institution.

In contrast, federal spending on children will only inch up between 2000 and 2010, to $229 billion -- or 9.4 percent of the budget -- from $148 billion, or 8.4 percent of the budget. As a percentage of the gross domestic product, federal spending on children will have stagnated, while spending on the elderly will climb steeply.

"The issue has to be seen in the context of what are the needs of the larger society," the Brookings Institution's Sawhill said. "Where do we want to put our resources? The elderly versus the young is the question to be debated."

Very tough situation. What do you think? Are there ways we can invest more in young people, our future, and still give the elderly a decent quality of life?

I think if there was more of a focus in our health care system on PREVENTION, it could have the potential to lower costs significantly. Even for people who are in their 50's and 60's, there are lifestyle changes they can make that will significantly affect their life and health. There are still going to be people with chronic diseases, but so many of these cases could be avoided or at least the risks could be lowered.

Milt Palacio · 02-02-2005, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mh67511

Very tough situation. What do you think? Are there ways we can invest more in young people, our future, and still give the elderly a decent quality of life?

I think if there was more of a focus in our health care system on PREVENTION, it could have the potential to lower costs significantly.

Top priorities to help the elderly:

1) Find a solution on Social Security where guaranteed benefits are NOT cut.

2) Lower presciption drug costs. Importing drugs from Canada would help solve the problem.

3) Shoring up Medicaid and Medicare (although I don't know alot about these programs).

Focusing on a healthy lifestyle should be a priority for everyone. But your idea about prevention won't completely solve the problems. People will still get sick or develop disease through no fault of their own. Very few old people have been healthy their entire lives.

Children are extremely important, but most have parents to take care of them and support them financially. Often, our elderly don't have many people to turn to and are more susceptible to problems. I think our country has the duty to take care of our elderly and provide them with at least a fairly comfortable standard of living.


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