Understanding Baby Boomer Health Cost Issues

Taking a look at baby boomer health cost factors is necessary because this huge demographic

composed of people born between 1945 and 1964 is beginning to move into the retired sector. They also constitute the largest age demographic in the country's history and as they continue to get older they will also continue to need ever increasing levels of health care delivery.

Just about everything that the boomer demographic does, as a matter of fact, affects society as a whole. Though it doesn't mean to, the fact that the size of the boomer demographic is so huge means that many resources tend to be devoted to its care and feeding, to use a phrase. This is no different for health care, where boomer activities from youth and adulthood are beginning to cause health issues.

For example, consider that boomers are accessing health care to address knee and hip problems more than ever before. The costs of providing hip or knee replacements are huge, for one thing. With more boomers than ever before needing such replacement, the strain on the health system is growing more severe with each passing year. And with Medicare being on shaky ground, there may not be enough resources to go around.

Also, because the boomers as a demographic move in large numbers, they are -- again, without meaning to do so -- commanding health resource allocation to their own demographic without meaning to create such a strain. And now that the system has been strained in ways we never conceived of, the need for reform is finally being discussed vigorously, as well as the need to address problems with Medicare resource allocation.

However, experts on all sides of the issue are divided on whether or not current proposals by the government to reform health care will actually do what has been promised. Additionally, cuts to Medicare totaling over $500 billion -- which is sure to displease the boomer demographic as a group -- are on the horizon if current proposals are instituted. Again, these reforms may not pan out.

The bottom line is that the only likely recourse in order to get costs under control is to develop and then oversee a rationing system, though it is almost a certainty that the ever-increasing numbers of boomers who have moved into retirement will not be pleased. Rationing, though, can only be one part of a broader scheme for performing the system, which needs to start at the ground level and move from there.

For sure, the fact is that baby boomer health cost factors will be with us for quite some time as this group continues to move into retirement in larger numbers with each passing year. The concurrent strain on the system will grow greater, as will the fact that serious reforms will eventually be needed. Medicare certainly doesn't seem up to the task of delivering more health care at present, though.

by: Terry Stanfield

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