Policies for an Aging Society

One in eight Americans today is over the age of 65, and the proportion will increase dramatically in the future. The aging of the population has begun to drive tax and budget decisions and the federal policy agenda, as policy makers and voters look ahead to enormous demands on the health and income security programs. Indeed, it is projected that Medicare and Social Security will constitute nearly half the federal budget in the year 2030, when one in five Americans will be over 65.

In Policies for an Aging Society, Stuart H. Altman and David I. Shactman have gathered experts in public and health policy, economics, law, and management to identify the salient issues and explore realistic options. From positions ranging from liberal to conservative, the contributors take a wide view of the philosophical, economic, and programmatic aspects of the social protection programs for elderly Americans. They ask broad questions and propose integrated conceptions of how our society can best provide for the needs of its aging population.

Contributors: Henry J. Aaron, Brookings Institution; Robert H. Binstock, Case Western Reserve University; Peter F. Drucker; Lynn M. Etheredge, George Washington University; Victor R. Fuchs, Stanford University; John Geanakoplos, Yale University; Jonathan Gruber, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Richard D. Lamm, University of Denver; Theodore R. Marmor, Yale University; Jerry L. Mashaw, Yale University; Olivia S. Mitchell, University of Pennsylvania; Alicia H. Munnell, Boston College; Norman J. Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research; Mark V. Pauly, University of Pennsylvania; Rudolph G. Penner, Urban Institute; Wendell E. Primus, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; C. Eugene Steuerle, Urban Institute; Paul N. Van de Water, Social Security Administration; David Wise, Harvard University; Stephen P. Zeldes, Columbia University.