Since the outset of the Medicare program in 1965, by how much has the average number of years that men collect Medicare benefits increased?
Correct Answer
When Medicare began in 1965, 65-year-old males had an average life expectancy of 12.9 more years. By 2018, this had risen to 18.1 years, amounting to a 40% increase in the time spent collecting Medicare benefits. For 65-year-old females, the average time spent collecting Medicare benefits increased from 16.3 years to 20.6 years, or by 26%. These rising life expectancies without any increase in the age at which people become eligible for Medicare are one of the primary factors driving the $42.3 trillion in unfunded obligations for all current taxpayers and beneficiaries in the Medicare program.
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