The executive director of the American
Association for Long-Term Care Insurance cited a new report that called further
attention to the sever economic strain America’s aging population will place on
federal programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
According to the report by the National Research Council and funded by the U.S. Treasury, there are options that can help the nation avoid what others call a very grim reality. “As a nation we need to act sooner rather than kicking the can further down the road,” declares Jesse Slome, executive director of the nation’s long term care insurance industry trade group. “Waiting will only make the matter worse and the cure that much more severe, and yet we seem to be willing to bury our heads and avoid what expert after expert predicts.”
The report notes that the aging of the American population will pose continuing economic challenges for the country for decades to come. According to the report, the ratio of adults aged 65 and over compared with people aged 20 to 64 will increase by 80 percent in the coming decades.
According to the report by the National Research Council and funded by the U.S. Treasury, there are options that can help the nation avoid what others call a very grim reality. “As a nation we need to act sooner rather than kicking the can further down the road,” declares Jesse Slome, executive director of the nation’s long term care insurance industry trade group. “Waiting will only make the matter worse and the cure that much more severe, and yet we seem to be willing to bury our heads and avoid what expert after expert predicts.”
The report notes that the aging of the American population will pose continuing economic challenges for the country for decades to come. According to the report, the ratio of adults aged 65 and over compared with people aged 20 to 64 will increase by 80 percent in the coming decades.
Experts explain that the shift is partly the
result of increases in average life expectancy which has risen from 47 years in
1900 to 78 years today. According to
Slome, life expectancy continues to grow and is projected to be 84.5 years by
the year 2050.
“America is rapidly becoming an aged nation
without a plan for dealing with the needs of our people and their families,”
Slome concurs. “Declining birth rates among
younger people means a smaller proportion of the population will be under 65.”
The report mandated by Congress notes that while
some people have saved amply for retirement, between one-fifth and two-thirds
of today's seniors have not saved enough, leaving them to rely heavily on
Medicare and Social Security -- programs that, along with Medicaid, now account
for about 40 percent of all federal spending.
Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security account
for roughly 40 percent of all federal spending and 10 percent of the nation's
gross domestic product according to the authors of the report. The report outlines strategies including
increasing the retirement age beyond the currently accepted age of 65 years. A second strategy called for workers to
increase their savings in order to have more resources when they retire.
“We’ve called on both Presidential candidates to
address the long term care problem facing aging Americans,” Slome notes. “We believe tax incentives are a way to get
more people to pay attention and to plan.
We praise the authors of this report and Congress for requesting the
study but it’s time to take action, talking will not fix this problem.”
The
American Association for Long Term Care Insurance was established in 1998 to
advocate for the importance of planning for long term care and to support
insurance and financial professionals who market solutions. To learn more about
long term care
insurance costs call the organization’s offices at (818) 597-3227 or visit
the Association’s website.
