Blueprint
Introduction
Table of Contents
AARP believes that as a nation, we can balance longer lives with the pressures the aging of the boomers and increased longevity put on our social systems.
Can America afford to grow older? And can we do so with intergenerational fairness—that is, without burdening our children and grandchildren with the bills? How do we help older Americans maintain their quality of life while preserving the integrity of the public and private programs that contribute to that quality? How do we achieve these objectives without seriously damaging our economy? These questions are not new, but they are becoming more pressing as we look toward the year 2008, when the first baby boomers become eligible for Social Security, and the year 2011, when they are covered by Medicare. There is no question that there are serious challenges. In fact, determining how best to adapt to an aging society is one of the most important issues of our time.
AARP believes we can balance longer lives with the pressures the aging of the boomers and increased longevity put on our social systems. While this is often described as a confounding problem of demographics, it is actually driven primarily by the fragmented and disorganized delivery of health care, which costs too much and delivers too little. Solutions must come from collaboration among government, private organizations, and individuals.