On this page

Older Americans in the workforce
Nutrition
Medicare
Prescription Drug Coverage for all Seniors
Long Term Care
For the record:
My Editorials about Aging Issues

There are now approximately 50,000 Americans who are 100 years old or older, and by 2050, just 45 years from now, the number of centenarians will be closer to one million.

Issues for Older Americans

Today, approximately 11.5 percent of Idaho's population is age 65 or older. This number will continue to grow as the 78 million members of the baby boom generation begin to turn 65 in 2011. As former Chairman, and a current member of, the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I am keenly aware of the special needs of older Americans.

As the baby boom generation ages, these needs will be magnified and will have a much larger impact on society as a whole. Access to treatment under Medicare, options for long-term care, and personal financial security are just a few of the issues that are important for older Americans. As I continue to examine these issues on the federal level, I encourage all Idahoans to plan for the health and financial future of themselves and their aging family members.

Older Americans and the Impact on the Workforce

Members of the baby boom generation began to turn 60 in 2006. And in a few short years, a huge wave of Americans will begin to retire. For many of them, this will be the beginning of an exciting new time in their lives. But as we are beginning live longer, many people are rethinking their plans for traditional retirement. With such a large number of Americans approaching retirement, America will be facing a labor shortage and the loss of workers whose skills are difficult to replace.

We face several challenges when it comes to responding to our Aging workforce in a way that is beneficial and practical for both baby boomers and the business community. Some of these challenges include concerns about the costs of retaining older workers or negative stereotypes about older Americans. Fortunately, it is possible to enact policies that will benefit Aging workers and the business community.

We should not try to force individuals to stay in the workforce, but it is important that work place options are available to allow older Americans to reap the benefits of remaining in the workforce. Many older workers remain in the workforce for their overall health. Several studies have shown that having a social network and being intellectually challenged are incredibly beneficial for the mental and physical health of older Americans. The statistics indicate that more Americans are beginning to realize that. In the past 10 years, the percentage of men and women aged 62 and older who are paid employees has increased.

Businesses will also benefit from retaining older workers. Older workers provide invaluable institutional knowledge and save businesses on recruitment and training costs. In many instances, individuals who choose to work past retirement age are no longer doing it for financial reasons; they want to give something back to society. I think every business want employees who are personally invested in the work they are doing.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of S. 709, the Older Worker Opportunity Act. This bill would provide tax incentives for businesses to create flexible work programs in order to retain older workers.

Nutrition

No matter what your age is, nutrition matters. A healthy diet is important for the prevention of disease and for the maintenance of good health. Many of the programs under the Older Americans Act focus on the delivery of healthy meals for seniors who need them. I will continue to support funding for important nutrition programs for seniors.

Health and Nutrition in Idaho

Nutrition programs under the Older Americans Act are administered through the State and local Agencies on Aging. For more information about Idaho's nutrition programs, please visit the Idaho Commission on Aging website.

I am also a cosponsor the Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act. This bill would expand the coverage of nutrition therapy services under Medicare. Nutrition therapy services are a low-cost and effective way of informing patients about nutrition interventions that can prevent the onset or progression of more serious diseases and conditions. Currently, Medicare only covers nutrition therapy services for individuals with diabetes or renal disease. However, there are many others who would benefit from nutrition services.

The Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act would give the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to allow Medicare coverage of nutrition therapy services for diseases or conditions for which nutrition therapy services would be cost-effective. This would be beneficial for the long-term fiscal health of Medicare and for the physical health of Medicare beneficiaries.

Medicare

Medicare was created in 1965 and currently provides health coverage for over 42 million Americans. Since its creation there have been a variety of changes and reforms to Medicare. These have focused on attempts to keep costs under control and to increase choices for beneficiaries.

Medicare spending has soared in recent years, driven by rising health care costs and increased enrollment as the population ages. It is estimated that the total number of beneficiaries will double between 2000 and 2030. Funding for Medicare will continue to dominate the federal budget and eliminate other funding priorities. Thus, Medicare needs systemic reform in order to maintain viability.

The Medicare Advantage Program is one component of Medicare that will increase choices for beneficiaries and decrease costs in the long run. Medicare Advantage pays private insurance plans to provide health care to Medicare beneficiaries who have signed up for one of these plans. Medicare Advantage is an important component of Medicare that has successfully integrated private health care plans with the government-run Medicare program.

As I continue to evaluate proposed changes to Medicare, I have two priorities in mind. We must ensure health care access for Medicare beneficiaries while working to reduce the skyrocketing costs of the program. We must make Medicare financially viable to ensure that the program will continue to exist for future beneficiaries.

Prescription Drug Coverage for all Seniors

Shortly after the national elections in 2002, President Bush and Congress set out to create a prescription drug program for our seniors. Our goal was simple. We wanted to provide affordable prescription drug coverage to every senior by harnessing the power of the free market without creating a large federal bureaucracy to make medical decisions for our citizens.

On December 8, 2003, the President signed the Medicare Modernization Act into law, and Medicare Part D was born. Less than two years later, dozens of private companies, with the assistance of the federal government, began enrolling our seniors in hundreds of different prescription drug plans. Today, nearly 39 million American senior citizens have prescription drug coverage.

More important, because Congress did not allow a large federal bureaucracy to make the program "one-size-fits-all," more than 80 percent of seniors in a recent survey said they were pleased with Medicare Part D's coverage. And as result of our efforts to harness the free market economy, the average cost of a plan is just $22 per month—nearly 33 percent lower than was initially expected.

Even taxpayers have benefited from the design of this plan. The Department of Health and Human Services recently reported to Congress that the program will cost $100 billion—that's billion with a "B"—less than was originally projected.

I cannot say that everything about Medicare Part D is perfect today. However, as one who was originally very skeptical about a large new government benefit, I am truly amazed at how well it is working. Where it needs to be fixed, we'll fix it. But, for now America's senior citizens have the coverage and choices they need.

Long Term Care

During my tenure as Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, one of my areas of focus was long-term care. Despite the knowledge that we are living longer, most people do not adequately plan for the care they will need as they age.

A large component of this problem is how to pay for long-term care. Many individuals mistakenly believe that Medicare will pay for long-term care. In actuality, any long-term care coverage is provided by State Medicaid programs. However, coverage is usually only available after individuals have exhausted their personal savings and other hard-earned assets.

This reality led me to author legislation, which was signed into law in 2006, to establish long-term care partnerships. Partnerships allow an individual to purchase a long-term care insurance policy approved by a State government. In return, the State would guarantee that, should the policy benefits be exhausted, the State government would cover the costs of their continued care through Medicaid.

This program is designed to encourage people to pre-fund their own long-term care needs rather than spend down their life savings to poverty level in order to qualify for Medicaid assistance. Partnership programs offer a way to help people prevent bankruptcy while helping State governments rein in rapidly increasing Medicaid expenditures. It is imperative that individuals begin to plan for their long-term care needs and to discuss these issues with their family.

For the Record . . .

Learn more about my views on issues related to Older Americans:

• A Little Truth, a Lot of Clarity -3/15/07

  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reported recently that because of free market competition, the average Part D premium for 2007 will be $22 a month—40 percent cheaper than initially estimated.

• Older Americans Act Gets Better With Age -10/23/06

  Advances in science continue to prolong our lives, and as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire, aging issues are more important than ever. There are now approximately 50,000 Americans who are 100 years old or older, and by 2050, just 45 years from now, the number of centenarians will be closer to one million.

• Surpassed Expectations—Rx Plan Saving Seniors and Taxpayers -08/24/06

  As the past Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, I had that experience recently when I learned that the Medicare prescription drug program is working better than expected—seniors are saving more money than they imagined and so are taxpayers.

• Live Long and Well -05/11/06

  According to experts, $1.9 trillion was spent in 2004 on health care costs. By 2015, it is estimated this figure will rise to $4 trillion, doubling in less than a decade. Recognizing this dilemma, Congress and President Bush have taken action, but more remains to be done.

• On pins and needles over shots -10/21/04

  Thirty years ago, there were 26 companies manufacturing vaccine for the United States. Today, largely because of excessive lawsuits against vaccine makers, only 3 companies manufacture flu vaccine for U.S. consumption.