The percentage of workers to beneficiaries, as well as the birth rate, have been progressively diminishing. According to a study by the Cato Institute, while there are five working persons for each person over 65 today, by 2030 there will be fewer than three workers to support each person over 65. Medicare also violates the government's prohibition on age bias by discriminating against the young. And it gets worse. The cost increases will affect the women of Generation X even more than the men.
Daughters generally bear the responsibility as caretakers for their aging parents.
And while Medicare helps pay for things like hospitals for the aged, Medicare does not pay for nursing homes, routine physical exams, eyeglasses, etc. And that's not the only reason the Medicare crisis disproportionately affects women. Women have a longer life expectancy than men. Prescription drug coverage is also a hot topic in the re-election campaigns of Congress and the Administration, but mandatory prescription drug coverage will harm, not help, patients. Clinton's plan would increase Medicare premiums and total costs by 42 percent.