Saving Medicare for Future Generations With increasing use of high technology and expensive pharmaceuticals, health expenditures are becoming an increasing part of our economy. But with so many younger people uninsured and so many other unmet needs, it is imperative that Medicare be run as efficiently as possible, so that Medicare taxes on future generations can be kept as low as possible and so that other societal needs can be met. The number of people on Medicare will roughly double in the next 30 years. The number of working taxpayers to support the program will decline from today's 3.4 per beneficiary to about 2 per beneficiary in 2030. Anyone who says differently is not being honest with the American public.
Plans can offer supplemental packages of benefits separately priced.
This proposal is a long-term effort to begin to reduce the huge regional disparities of treatment and health care costs in America which do not appear to provide any particular quality of life difference. Colleagues, this is a very ambitious bill that would make enormous long-term savings, while also making the Medicare benefit truly adequate. I certainly do not expect it all to pass this Congress, but I hope portions could be included in whatever we are able to accomplish. Social Security Nevertheless, this bill is a major blueprint for a comprehensive, long-term way to Save Medicare. As this Subcommittee prepares to investigate Medicare reform, it is my hope that this new legislation will be a major part of our discussion.