Baby-boomers and the U.S. Health Care System

For the one-time(prenominal) few decades the term baby- boomers has never left the headlines. in that location argon many a(prenominal) efforts why this generation of the put upsns al musical modes attract the spotlight. First of both this generation comprises a signifi keistert chunk of the U. S. universe of discourse. Further more, children born to this group were the ones who grew up and became involved in the cultural-c benting charge offts of the 1960s. This is the same generation that provided volunteers and soldiers to the infamous Vietnam War.In order to amply appreciate the doctor of this generation to current history it must be famed that former president Bill Clinton as well as incumbent president George W. Bush belong to this demographic. In recent measure the baby-boomers ar again in the gl be of publicity because this segment of the battalion is threatening to negatively impact the U. S. wellness address system. The followers cardinal clauses provid e differing views on the said subject matter. This paper en devote book a closer look at the baby-boomer generation and its impact on the health wish system.This potbelly be achieved by comparing and contrasting intravenous feeding holds taken from New York Times and MSNBC News. The four binds reveal either-important(a) reading ab expose this demographic while at the same snip assign necessary data that leave behind help readers undertake an overview of the problem as well as possible solutions. The worlds media is painting a grim picture of the succeeding(a), that baby-boomers argon to blame for the impending crisis that leave wham the U. S. health assist system. Is in that respect truth to the claim or is in that location another substance to read the points?The following binds provide different perspectives on the subject of baby-boomers in relation to the health apprehension system. For the first article that give be examined, MSNBCs Tracie Potts wrote a report springize Boomers to climax checkup examination caution system. thither is simply no way to interpret what she meant by that. For a long time now the United States of the States is bracing for a feeler storm. In a few more eld there will be a noteworthy chip of aging Ameri messs who will trouble and keep up looking for the long promised loneliness benefits and a major piece of it is regain to quality health c are services.Tracie Potts asserts that there is a strong orifice that many of those who will do it is in for a long disappointment and she even declared that if functions will not be corrected in the near future then(prenominal) America should be ready for an impending crisis. Michelle York on the other deal wrote that aside from the usual problems of lacking proper checkup checkup insurance and the impact cod to sheer numbers of baby-boomers that will be needing health veneration there is another related problem the lack of medical examina tion practitioners that will be sufficient to take care of them.Aside from facilities and medical supplies the almost important part of the equation are the doctors. Now, everyone fill outs that doctors are in the business of providing care and just like other professionals they will not operate on for free. in that location maybe some rare instances where a doctor will be driven by compassion notwithstanding even the most freehanded will score that they throw away to pay back that huge impart incurred to pay tuition fees in medical school. They go offnot be military forced to go where there is spectacularest need they will just consider abject into an area where they can as well as get the most out of their time and hard fix.Now there is a problem when it comes to retirees. A person last quitting the work force in order to enjoy doing the finer things in life will beat to settle in areas where the cost of dungeon is note in order to stretch their retirement fun ds. That is a accept sufficient plan the only problem is that in these places doctors are hard to find. The one-third dapple that will be examined was written for the New York Times. ONeill entitled the article this way, loss to Retire Early and Hang a milkshake? Itll Cost You. In this report ONeil discussed that baby-boomers are not erroneous and that they work hard during their youth and pre-retirement years to save abundant bills so that they can afford not to work and until now aim quality represents. But ONeil cautions that for those who will opt out of the work force before the age of 65, there is one more thing left to do and it is to set aside $100,000 or more to remunerate health insurance until they qualify for Medicare. Suddenly retirement is not as fun as one would think, particularly for those who did not do their provision when it comes to long-term care insurance.There are just so many things that Medicare will not cover. wind Lymans article significant ly differs from the three already mentioned. His piece is the silver lining behind the clouds. He admits that baby-boomers will effect a deep impact in American society nevertheless he believes that the doomsayers are exaggerating and therefore Lyman declared, Census Report Foresees No Crisis oer Aging Generations wellness. The following pages will take a closer look at the said four articles. Boomers Tracie Potts warns that in the coming years there will be one million millions of baby-boomers that will flood the U.S. medical system. The problem correspond to her is that the health care system in this res publica is not yet ready for a sudden rise in the numbers of retirees. In order to encounter the seriousness of the problem Potts reminded her readers that there are round 78 million Americans that will turn 65 years old soon. Seventy-eight million is already the population of a sm entirely country and realizing the size of this demographic can easily intimidate anyone es pecially if the one reading the report belongs to the younger generation tasked to work in order to sustain Americas current health care system.Potts reiterated her concerns, We face an impending crisis as the growing number of ripened patients, who are brio longer with more complex health needs, increasingly outpaces the number of health care providers with the knowledge and skills to take care for them competently (2008). The report listed the following common problems associated with senior citizens who had a misplaced trust in Medicare and retiring without sufficient knowledge that having Medicare will not be enough as seen in the following facts 1. There arent enough specialists in geriatric treat 2. Insufficient training is avail open3. The specialists that do exist are underpaid 4. Medicare fails to provide for team care that many elderly needs and 5. Medicare may even hinder seniors from getting the best care because of its low reimbursement rates (Potts, 2008). Include d in this report is another piece of bad sassys coming from the American Medical Association who provided the heads-up, This July, the giving medication will begin steep cuts in Medicare physician payments, and 60 percentage of physicians say this cut will force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat (Potts, 2008).In this article one can see the problems the great influx of senior citizens needing quality health care and the inability of the U. S. Federal giving medication to provide for that need. This article is an important contribution in any hit the books regarding boomers and their impact on the U. S. medical system. Potts was able to go into the nitty-gritty of the main(prenominal) grapple. It was informative and well-balanced reporting. The reader can finish evaluating the article and come away with key points such as the inability of Medicare to cover all medical needs even if the person is already 65 years old and eligible for this type of medical insurance.Another major contribution of this article is in addressing the need for more trained specialists. The lack of trained specialists can easily outgrowth the cost of health care expenses. Medical Professionals In a related article Michelle York focuses on the medical problems of baby-boomers living in the State of New York and she wrote, At a time when the aging baby-boomer population finds itself in need of more medical services, fewer young doctors fatality to work in many of the distressed cities and towns throughout New York State (2007).This is understandable because a medical professional has to earn a living too and there is no incentive that will entice them to consume to work in distressed cities and towns in dire need of medical professionals. The following figures describe a disturbing trend that although there is an increase in the number of licensed physicians this rise in numbers will not solve the problem outright and here are the explanations In Ne w York there is a 6 percent growth in the number of doctors practicing medicine from 2001-2005 for a total of about 77,000 doctors but the way they are spread throughout the state substance there are many who will not shed access to their expertise There is a glut of doctors in richer areas like New York, Long Island, and Westchester and cold few chose to practice in the upstate region. For instance in the Essex County in the Adirondacks, they lost 22 percent of its doctors as of latest count The stay doctors who chose to stay in distressed areas are also ready to retire some are already 55 or older but the problem is recruiting replacement is extremely difficult. Young medical practitioners find these areas non-viable and unpresentable (York, 2007). This article is also very informative. It allows the reader to see the boomer issue from another angle. The usual points for discussion when it comes this topic usually centers on medical bills, valuable treatments, and valua ble drugs. As a result there are laws that were passed specifically addressing the said problems.Lawmakers will continually strive hard to lower prices of medicines and find ways to build better hospitals. But Yorks article diverts attention to these common problems and sooner focuses on something that is far more contest there are no doctors in distressed areas. Now how can the subject field government solve this problem? Lowering the price medicine can be considered a very easy feat as compared to convincing a very driven young doctor to live in areas where he knows he will not be able to pull as much money as he would pass water if he decides to live in the big city.Suddenly York made everyone sit-up and realize that this is a problem that requires a complex set of solutions and that the government should jumping working on it now because time will come when even old doctors serving in upstate regions and far flung counties will have to hang-up their hats and say adieu to the medical profession. High Cost of retirement For John ONeil the explanation for the impending crisis is simple. It is simply too expensive to pay for health care. There are so many factors that give way to this reality.As mentioned earlier there are a limited number of specialists management on geriatric treatment. In some areas the problem is much simpler to find out there are no doctors in sight. ONeil adds another reason why it will be much harder for baby-boomers to immediately decide to hang their work clothes and go straight to their favorite fishing mickle and he wrote, The percentage of companies offering retirees health benefits has plummeted in the last decade, according to a recent report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.From 1997 to 2002, the most recent year for which figures are available, the drop was especially steep (2006). This substance that even if baby boomers are still in the workplace they are no longer contributing to their healthcare plan s. ONeill cited Paul Fronstin, music director of the institutes health research and education program, who said that future retirees are not assured of medical insurance coverage unless they overtake into one of the following categories 1. high-level executive 2. union worker in a large manufacturing company or 3. civil servant (ONeil, 2006).There are those who did not belong to any of the categories mentioned above but they have spouses instinctive to keep working until they qualify for Medicare but there are many who are not as fortunate. ONeil also pointed out that the saddest part is that many Americans, especially those who are going to retire soon are unaware that such problems exist. Many thought that they are covered and yet when they are out their on their own with no other means of support they will be in for a rude waking up because health care cost is not what they expect it to be.ONeils article is a wake-up call for those who may have thought that retirement is the result to all their problems. No more back-breaking work and all the money demand to spend for the things that one truly loves doing. ONeil splashed cold urine into the faces of those daydreaming about fly-fishing and endless hours at the golf course. No sir, retirement before the age of 65 means no access to Medicare and if the new retiree figures in an accident, long-term care insurance is way too expensive. It is also a good thing that ONeill pointed out a fact that more and more companies are reducing their offer of retiree health benefits.It is high time to check if a capability retirees company is offering retiree health benefits or not before deciding to retire. No Crisis over Aging Rick Lymans article offers an alternative view. Although Lyman concedes that baby boomers will still tax income the U. S. medical system because the following figures is undeniable, In July 2003, there were 35. 9 million Americans over the age of 65, about 12 percent of the population. By 2030 , federal officials predict, there will be 72 million older people, about 20 percent of Americans (Lyman, 2006).Yet Lyman predicted that the outcome will not be as devastating because baby-boomers are aging well with fewer disabilities even as they turn 65. Lyman cited Richard J. Hodes director of the National Institute on Aging who asserts that this electro authoritative trend is due to an improved quality of life todays older Americans are better educated and more wealthy than introductory generations which accounts for their ability to take care of themselves (Lyman, 2006). Yet Lyman also made a caveat that the growing obesity rate may neutralize the collateral trend.This article by Lyman is not only significant because it offers a positive outlook of the current health care debacle but it also encourages many future retirees to be more vigilant when it comes to taking care of their health especially those that are prone to diabetes and obesity. It must be noted that Lymans assertions are based on the significant reduction in the number of senior citizens suffering from a form of disability. Due to the fact that many of the baby-boomers are enjoying great health there is a possibility that the impact will be less disastrous.Yet it is also good to know that diabetes and obesity can easily reverse the trend because these two medical conditions can easily transform a perfectly healthy respective(prenominal) into an invalid irregardless if he a boomer or not. compare/Contrast The four articles are in agreement on the following areas 1. The significant number of baby-boomers will greatly impact the U. S. medical system. 2. Health care cost is emanation. 3. There are other factors that contribute to the health care problem and not merely due to the size of the baby-boomer generation.Authors, Potts, York, and ONeil are also in agreement that boomers will break the bank. It is only Lyman who offered a more positive outlook. Although Lyman acknowledges there is a problem he is sure that doomsayers are exaggerating and that actual figure show that boomers are adapting well. Lyman argues that due to the fact that boomers have a higher literary rate as compared to previous generations this generation will be able to quickly understand and assimilate information regarding health issues and as a result they will be able to incorporate into their lifestyle practices that will ensure higher status and good health.On the other hand all four authors are self-coloured when it comes to the idea of retaining the services of retirees and instead of pushing them out the door. There are a number of industries that require more hold upd workers especially when it comes to the medical field it is very expensive to train specialists. So if a retired medical professional decides to work a few more years by and by retirement his expertise can be used without having to undergo boost training. In this way more people will benefit from his services. Con clusionThere is no need to elaborate on the fact that baby-boomers comprise a significant percentage of the American population. Figures vary but it is estimated that there are at least 72 million boomers living in this country. This demographic can easily command the attention of various businesses but in the past few years it has gripped the attention of health care experts who are predicting a crisis if some issue will not be resolved soon. There is a good reason to be alarmed, 70 million people is roughly the size of a small country.Imagine a group this big and all of its members suddenly turning gray and opts to exit the workplace and as a consequence of age and other factors begin taxing the U. S. healthcare system. The four articles reveal at least three glaring facts as to why the aging of the boomer will create a force that will wallop Americas medical system. First of all, even without considering the boomers the U. S. health care system is already in shambles, meaning not everyone can afford medical insurance simply because it is downright expensive.It is expensive to pay for doctors, it is expensive to pay for specialists and it is even expensive to pay for caregivers that do not have any form of medical degree. Secondly, there are simply not enough health workers that will be able to do the job. In the case of the boomers there is an added problem of needing more specialists especially those that specialize in geriatric medicine. Finally, the most disturbing fact of all is that there are many boomers who are unaware that they need to have more money in order to pay for their health care related expenses.It must be noted that those who retire before 65 will not be eligible for Medicare. And yet even if they have Medicare this type of health insurance will not be able to cover everything. solely three articles agree that there is an impending crisis unless terrible measures are taken up. This includes enticing retirees not to become idle and inste ad allow themselves to be reabsorbed into the workforce. There is now an added bonus because retirees with their years of experience can ask for part time work or can choose only to do things that they love doing.There is only one author who disagree with the doomsayers. But even he gave some sort of indurate optimism because even with a wealthier and more educated boomer generation the rising rate of obesity can still offset the positive trend. All in all the four articles are informative and it allows the reader to get a good overview to one of the hottest social issue in America today. References Lyman, R. (2006). Census Report Foresees No Crisis Over Aging Generations Health. Retrieved 05 June 2008 from http//www. nytimes. com/2006/03/10/national/ 10aging. html?_r=1&sq=baby%20boomer&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=4&adxnnlx=1213085688-UwMCjf6VJB3QAKV4jZVJ9A ONeil, J. (2006). Want to Retire Early and Hang a Shingle? Itll Cost You. Retrieved 04 June 2008 from http//www. nytimes . com/2006/04/11/business/retirement/ 11gap. html? _r=1&scp=21&sq=baby%20boomer&st=nyt Potts, T. (2008). Boomers to runoff Medical Care System. Retrieved 04 June 2008 from http//www. msnbc. msn. com/id/24107916/ York, M. (2007). Few Young Doctors Step in as Upstate Population Ages. Retrieved 05 June 2008 from http//www. nytimes. com/2007/07/23/nyregion/ 23docs. html? scp=5&sq=baby+boomer&st=nyt