ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the magnitude of future increases in American's older population, the consequences of these increases on future health-care costs, the long-term failure of cost containment, and the spectre of health-care rationing. There are several factors that will substantially affect the health-care costs of older Americans. A healthier population could be expected to generate less health-care costs. Concerned about the lack of health-care for infants and children, Daniel Callahan proposes that federal funds be shifted from health-care for the aged to health care for younger Americans. The proposed solutions for the impending rise in health-care costs for older Americans have been largely negative: rationing health care and cost containment through decreasing entitlement benefits or reducing provider payments. Many of the diseases and disorders of aging may be prevented or ameliorated by alterations in health behaviors, such as stopping smoking, diet modification, and exercise programs.
