Bracing for the Boomers: Addressing the Healthcare and Workforce Challenges of a Generation, takes a look at how the aging and retirement of the baby boomer generation is affecting the healthcare industry in the United States. Estimated to comprise nearly 25 percent of the nation’s population, this generation will undoubtedly continue to shape the landscape of the country as is has for nearly seven decades. The Center for Health Affairs' baby boomer publication highlights current population and workforce estimates, and explores the various ways in which boomers are expected to utilize the healthcare system in the future.
When the first of the baby boomer generation turned 65 just three years ago, the national spotlight was aimed at this group. Questions regarding the long-term financial outlook for social insurance programs such as Medicare and Social Security were immediately raised, and economists and policymakers alike were tasked with ensuring their viability. Luckily, with major policy changes from congress and innovative models to deliver healthcare services to the aging, the outlook for the baby boomer generation has never been better. Allocating additional healthcare dollars for certain long-term care options and extending the solvency of the Medicare trust fund are just a few changes that have been made in preparation for the expanding number of people age 65 and older.