Three ASU researchers recently published the book, "A Roadmap to Medicare Sustainability," in hopes of illuminating how current Medicare is chipping away at the security of future dependents. To make Medicare more sustainable in the long-run, Denis Cortese and colleagues Natalie Landman and Robert Smoldt suggest raising the eligibility age, develop a premium support model, establish true pay for medical providers, and work on tort reform.
Right now, Medicare is a major contributor to the U.S. federal debt due to the growing costs as Boomers begin to retire.
"Medicare must be fundamentally reformed and made sustainable in a manner that is fair to seniors, their children and their grandchildren who are or will be paying the taxes for the Medicare program," said Smoldt, associate director of ASU’s Healthcare Delivery and Policy Program. "Bold action and consistent leadership on several fronts are required."