HCP Assignment 2

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St. John's University *

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GPH

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Medicine

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Jan 9, 2024

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Snehi Shah October 2, 2023 Health Care Policy: Assignment 2 The current policy problem is the government’s ability to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to our senior citizens. Medicare has been an aid to approximately 65 million Americans by giving them access to medical services and treatments at a reasonable price - something older adults would not be able to afford via private insurance. The policy proposal on the agenda is to raise the age of eligibility for Medicare benefits from 65 to 67 or higher. The purpose of this proposal is to get Medicare and Social Security on the same level, in terms of age restrictions. Under the current guidelines, the eligibility age to receive benefits is 65, apart from a few special circumstances. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the average number of years that people are covered by Medicare has increased due to a rise in life expectancy since 1965 (Congressional Budget Office, 2018). On the CBO website, two potential plans map out how this change would come about. The first option would have the Medicare eligibility age (MEA) rise every two months each year, continuing until it reaches 67 in 2036 (Congressional Budget Office, 2018). The other option is having the MEA increase by 3 months each year until it reaches 67 in 2032 (Congressional Budget Office, 2018). The American Association of Retired Persons, also known as AARP, is an interest group in the United States that focuses on issues pertinent to those 50 and over. The majority of our members are Medicare-eligible individuals; therefore, our organization is vehemently against this proposed policy. This proposal goes against our values and mission of concentrating on issues most important to those 50 and above, whether it be economic security, access to affordability, or health care (Rowett, 2012). Our Executive VP in 2012, Nancy LeaMond, also came out in opposition to this proposal and stated “Raising the age would force 65- and 66-year-olds into the private market, costing them an estimated $2,000 a year or more. Even in the Exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act, seniors will pay three times more for insurance than younger individuals” (Rowett, 2012). To reiterate, our stance regarding this matter is that Medicare eligibility should remain as is, at the age of 65, and if this age limit is raised, it would be detrimental to the health and financial well-being of our seniors. Arguments against raising the age limit on Medicare: 1. Financial Hardship for Seniors and Employers a. Increasing the age of eligibility would delay access to healthcare for seniors. Seniors who aren’t eligible for Medicare coverage might have to

rely on private insurance, consisting of premiums and deductibles, or even pay out of pocket creating a financial strain (Van de Water, 2011). b. Increasing the age of eligibility for Medicare would also impact employers, since they would need to reframe and assess their health insurance coverage plans to adjust to Medicare’s new eligibility age. This could lead to companies reducing their benefits or offer higher premium plans to their employees (Van de Water, 2011). 2. Impact on Health a. Raising the age of eligibility for Medicare could include but are not limited to: i. Delayed access – Seniors may wait to receive health services if it doesn’t seem urgent or if the cost is high (President et al., 2023). ii. Financial burden iii. Health disparities – Medicare covers many low–income communities and increasing the age limit would create an increase in disparities amongst those who cannot afford coverage. iv. Mental and chronic health – Seniors with mental and chronic health conditions require ongoing care, but with the age change, many would choose against continuing care due to cost increase. Lack of care during this time would increase anxiety and stress amongst the community, especially with the uncertainty of affordable healthcare. To conclude, the proposal of raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 or higher could be detrimental to the health of our seniors. It would leave many without healthcare coverage, something that the population has earned with the work they have done through their life. At a time when they need our support and respect for their contributions, we are planning to avoid the responsibility and delay them appropriate care. It is upon our government and agencies, like AARP, to reject this idea and prioritize how we can improve and expand access of healthcare coverage to our fellow Americans, regardless of how old they are. Snehi Shah is a senior policy analyst for the American Association for Retired Persons, AARP. Word Count: 763

Bibliography Berry, P. (2012, June 7). Medicare proposal pros and cons - medicare eligibility age, premiums . AARP. https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-06- 2012/medicare-proposals-pros-and-cons.html Polsky, D., Doshi, J. A., Escarce, J., Manning, W., Paddock, S. M., Cen, L., & Rogowski, J. (2009). The health effects of Medicare for the near-elderly uninsured. Health services research , 44 (3), 926–945. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2009.00964.x President, J. C. V., Cusick, J., President, V., Director, S. N. A., Nadeau, S., Director, A., Gordon Director, P., Gordon, P., Director, Manager, N. F. S., Fowler, N., Manager, S., Shepherd Director, M., Shepherd, M., Director, E. L. A., Lofgren, E., Bell, A., Talukder, S., Fellowes-Granda, L., & Gentile, N. (2023, October 3). Raising the medicare eligibility age would harm seniors and increase health care spending . Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/raising-the-medicare-eligibility-age- would-harm-seniors-and-increase-health-care-spending/ Raise the age of eligibility for Medicare to 67 . Congressional Budget Office. (2018, December 13). https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/54733 Rowett, M. (2012, December 13). AARP reiterates: Don’t raise eligibility age for Medicare . AARP States. https://states.aarp.org/aarp-reiterates-dont-raise- eligibility-age-for-medicare Van de Water, P. N. (2011, August 23). Raising Medicare’s eligibility age would increase overall health spending and shift costs to seniors, states, and employers . Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/raising-medicares- eligibility-age-would-increase-overall-health-spending-and-shift-costs

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HCP Assignment 2

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