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Policies for an Aging Society

edited by Stuart H. Altman and David I. Shactman

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One in eight Americans today is over the age of 65, and the proportion will increase dramatically in the future. The aging of the population has begun to drive tax and budget decisions and the federal policy agenda, as policy makers and voters look ahead to enormous demands on the health and income security programs. Indeed, it is projected that Medicare and Social Security will constitute nearly half the federal budget in the year 2030, when one in five Americans will be over 65.

In Policies for an Aging Society, Stuart H. Altman and David I. Shactman have gathered experts in public and health...

One in eight Americans today is over the age of 65, and the proportion will increase dramatically in the future. The aging of the population has begun to drive tax and budget decisions and the federal policy agenda, as policy makers and voters look ahead to enormous demands on the health and income security programs. Indeed, it is projected that Medicare and Social Security will constitute nearly half the federal budget in the year 2030, when one in five Americans will be over 65.

In Policies for an Aging Society, Stuart H. Altman and David I. Shactman have gathered experts in public and health policy, economics, law, and management to identify the salient issues and explore realistic options. From positions ranging from liberal to conservative, the contributors take a wide view of the philosophical, economic, and programmatic aspects of the social protection programs for elderly Americans. They ask broad questions and propose integrated conceptions of how our society can best provide for the needs of its aging population.

Contributors: Henry J. Aaron, Brookings Institution; Robert H. Binstock, Case Western Reserve University; Peter F. Drucker; Lynn M. Etheredge, George Washington University; Victor R. Fuchs, Stanford University; John Geanakoplos, Yale University; Jonathan Gruber, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Richard D. Lamm, University of Denver; Theodore R. Marmor, Yale University; Jerry L. Mashaw, Yale University; Olivia S. Mitchell, University of Pennsylvania; Alicia H. Munnell, Boston College; Norman J. Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research; Mark V. Pauly, University of Pennsylvania; Rudolph G. Penner, Urban Institute; Wendell E. Primus, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; C. Eugene Steuerle, Urban Institute; Paul N. Van de Water, Social Security Administration; David Wise, Harvard University; Stephen P. Zeldes, Columbia University.

Reviews

Reviews

Presents a comprehensive array of writings about the economic, social, and policy issues facing the United States in maintaining a social insurance program for the elderly into the 21st century. The book covers aging policy broadly and in depth, and the text provides good explanations for the technical concepts discussed in the book.

The authors and editors have created a timely, readable, and thought provoking text. The reader is drawn into the debate and leaves hoping that our leaders use such an approach to find long-term solutions for the healthcare and retirement needs of our increasingly aging population.

This important book is distinguished by its careful attention to all three major programs affording retirement security to the elderly (Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid), by its admirable insistence on the need to bring both historical and international perspectives to bear on contemporary American welfare state topics, and by its balanced treatment of the political and economic dimensions of critical policy issues.

This book brings together a veritable 'A List' of contributors to discuss this, the most prominent issue of social and fiscal policy in America's future. The overall organization is good, and the quality of the chapters is high..

About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
6
x
9
Pages
424
ISBN
9780801869075
Illustration Description
23 line drawings
Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Contributors
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1. Overview: Issues and Options for an Aging Population
Chapter 2. An International Perspective on Policies for an Aging Society
Part II

Preface
Acknowledgments
Contributors
Part I: Introduction
Chapter 1. Overview: Issues and Options for an Aging Population
Chapter 2. An International Perspective on Policies for an Aging Society
Part II: The Economic Framework
Chapter 3. Budget Estimates: What We Know, What We Can't Know, and Why It Matters
Chapter 4. Long-Run Budget Projections and Their Implications For Funding Elderly Entitlements
Chapter 5. Increased Public Spending on the Elderly: Can We Afford It?
Chapter 6. The Economic Consequences of Funding Growing Elderly Entitlements
Chapter 7. The Entitlements Crisis That Never Existed
Part III: Policy Alternatives
Chapter 8. The Case for Universal Social Insurance
Chapter 9. The Moral Imperative of Limiting Elderly Health Entitlements
Chapter 10. The Merits of Changing to Defined Contribution Programs
Chapter 11. The Case for Retaining Defined Benefit Programs
Chapter 12. Private Accounts, Prefunding, and Equity Investment Under Social Security
Chapter 13. Changing Retirement Trends and Their Impact on Elderly Entitlement Programs
Chapter 14. Aligning Incentives For a National Retirement Policy
Part IV: Political Realities
Chapter 15. Enacting Reform: What Can We Expect in the Current Political Context?
Chapter 16. The Politics of Enacting Reform
Chapter 17. The Financial Problems of the Elderly: A Holistic View
Index

Author Bios
Featured Contributor

Stuart H. Altman

Stuart H. Altman is Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy at Brandeis University.