Skip to main content
Log in

The impact of Medicare on demography

  • Published:
Demography

Resumen

El así llamado programa Medicare, promulgado en 1965 en la Enmienda al Acta de Seguridad Social, tendrá un significante impacto sobre los estudios demográficos en vista de la vasta cantidad de datos previamente inobtenibles que ahora serán disponibles. No solo habrá una extensa información acerca de costos de hospiialieación y otros cuidados médicos para personas de 65 y más añs de edad (con adecuadas divisiones por sexo y edad), sino que también se producirán datos muy útiles acerca del verdadero tamaño de la población de 65 y más años.

La razón para este último resultado es que virtualmente todas las personas del país, de 65 y más años llegárdn a ser elegibles para seguro hospitalario aún cuando ellas no hayan sido cubiertas anteriormente, o hayan sido sobrevivientes de personas cubiertas bajo los sistemas de ancianos, sobrevivientes o incapacitados. Como resultado de lo anterior, no solamente habrá datos más exaclos (lo que es menos probable en los censos, dónde la enumeración necesariamente es incompleta), sino también, una oerificación de la edad, desde que ello es necesario de acuerdo a las demandas del procedimiento.

Summary

The so-called Medicare program enacted by the 1965 Amendments to the Social Security Act will have a significant impact on demographic studies, in view of the vast amount of previously unobtainable data that will be made available. Not only will there be extensive information in regard to hospitalization and other medical-care costs for persons aged 65 and over (with adequate subdivisions by age and sex) but also reliable data in regard to the true size of the population aged 65 and over will be produced.

The reason for this latter result is that virtually all pereons aged 65 and over in the country will become eligible for hospital insurance, even though they may not have been previously covered, or have been survivors of persons covered, under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance System. As a result, not only will there be an accurate count (unlike the census, where the enumeration necessarily is not complete), but also there will be a verification of age, since this is necessary under the claims process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. For a more complete discussion of this subject, including a description of the United States National Health Survey and its origins, see Forrest E. Linder, “Health as a Demographic Variable,” Proceedings, International Population Conference, Vienna, 1959.

  2. Robert J. Myers, “Actuarial Cost Estimates for Hospital Insurance Act of 1965 and Social Security Amendments of 1965,” Actuarial Study No. 59 (Washington, D.C.: Social Security Administration, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Myers, R.J. The impact of Medicare on demography. Demography 3, 545–547 (1966). https://doi.org/10.2307/2060179

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2060179

Keywords

Navigation