Joint Economic Committe Finds Improving Trends in Health of Elderly
Washington, DC—Senator Robert F. Bennett, Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, held a hearing on the changing demographics of health care and the long-term trends in the health status and health spending levels of the elderly.
“Americans are now living longer and they are spending these years in better health overall, with chronic disability rates among the elderly declining,” said Bennett. “What this means for health care costs and the economy is complex and policymakers need to work to understand it.”
Understanding and enhancing the factors that extend the healthy and productive lives of seniors over age 65 could help increase labor force participation which would in turn enhance economic growth. In addition, it would reduce the number of claims for more expensive procedures and treatments than by reducing the cost of public health care programs.
“The good news is that if we can continue to improve the health and extend the life span of younger Medicare beneficiaries, it will not increase their lifetime Medicare expenses. It appears it will actually result in lower average costs per year per beneficiary.”
During witness testimony, Kenneth Manton of Duke University testified that the health of the U.S. elderly population is better than commonly understood, observing that the U.S. may be the world’s leader in life expectancy at advanced ages and that “active” life expectancy has been increasing almost as fast as life expectancy over the last two decades. Dr. James Fries of Stanford University emphasized that postponing the onset of illness of individuals, through lifestyle changes, health promotion, and disease management strategies, offers the most promising way to improve health and save money.
“Americans are now living longer and they are spending these years in better health overall, with chronic disability rates among the elderly declining,” said Bennett. “What this means for health care costs and the economy is complex and policymakers need to work to understand it.”
Understanding and enhancing the factors that extend the healthy and productive lives of seniors over age 65 could help increase labor force participation which would in turn enhance economic growth. In addition, it would reduce the number of claims for more expensive procedures and treatments than by reducing the cost of public health care programs.
“The good news is that if we can continue to improve the health and extend the life span of younger Medicare beneficiaries, it will not increase their lifetime Medicare expenses. It appears it will actually result in lower average costs per year per beneficiary.”
During witness testimony, Kenneth Manton of Duke University testified that the health of the U.S. elderly population is better than commonly understood, observing that the U.S. may be the world’s leader in life expectancy at advanced ages and that “active” life expectancy has been increasing almost as fast as life expectancy over the last two decades. Dr. James Fries of Stanford University emphasized that postponing the onset of illness of individuals, through lifestyle changes, health promotion, and disease management strategies, offers the most promising way to improve health and save money.
