It’s little surprise that America is rapidly getting older — but now that we’re at the brink of that demographic shift’s major consequences, we’re still completely unprepared.
Why it matters: It’s not just that seniors are an increasing share of the population, which is a huge challenge in itself. The seniors of the future may also require care for longer, and aging inequalities are becoming more stark.
The big picture: Americans 65 and older will make up more than 20% of the population by 2030, according to Census Bureau projections, up from 17% in 2022. By 2050, they’re projected to make up 23%.
- One of the most obvious impacts of the aging population is on the federal budget, as spending on health programs — namely Medicare — is expected to swell.
- But the change will be felt economy-wide: A smaller share of the population will be working age and, without drastic course correction, more may drop out of the […]
The United States is going to needs thousands of Healthcare professionals in the coming decades. The current illness profit system is designed to restrict the flow of new talent ( the medical school model ), or burn out the current talent ( the nursing practice model ). Immigration reform will help this as there are literally thousands upon thousands of healthcare professionals willing to work in the United States if they can get past the regulatory hurdles. Don’t expect change however, as the legislators are beholden to the cash of the current crop of incumbents. For the legislators, and their backers, no care is better than some care. Maybe, just maybe, significant nursing strikes will educate the public and change the dynamics. It’s the nursing staff who holds the leverage.
Every single country that has national health care does better and has better health care than the US. Because we are a country almost solely based on greed, nothing will change until most Republicans are out of office, state-wise and nationally.