"Free Medicare for All" Not Possible in Our Lifetimes

[Theseus]

When I was doing my Master of Science in Business Intelligence degree I came across the below article in my research. The data comes from the Pew Research Center and is portending as to what s coming ahead. With the current pool of Democrat Presidential Candidates using the mantra  "Free Medicare-for-all" they are living in the moment and not really looking forward.   Several take aways stem from this article:

• The current Healthcare System is set up for geriatric care in addition to the number of patients, or volume. The reduction in the age and number of patients seeking medical care means types of care that are not geriatric care is going to be the focus going forward. 
• By the year 2030, if healthcare professionals do not diversify into other niches beyond geriatric care, there will be a huge number of layoffs. This is in addition to the closing of hospitals that cannot fill beds or do geriatric related surgeries. This does not mean geriatric care will not be needed just a large reduction in the number of caregivers and facilities to treat geriatric patients. 
• Baby Boomer generation had a population at its peak 78.8 million compared to that of the Millennial Generation (earliest born in 1996) at its peak population is 62 million.  
• When combined with numerous articles in 2017 stating the current birth rate of 60.2 births per 1,000 women in the age range of 15 to 44, a 30-year low in 2017, this is unsustainable for the indigenous population of the United States. This equates to approximately 2.1 children per couple and is falling year-over-year. A sustainable birth rate is around 2.4 children per couple. 

 

What does this all mean, the "free medicare for all" just by the population numbers is and will be unsustainable going into the future. This includes those healthcare professionals who do not seek out new avenues in which to continue their careers in the healthcare industry. The United States is not the only country to face the dilemma of having an unsustainable birth rate for its indigenous population. Around the world, most Western nations, more specifically, all countries who embrace abortion as a means of birth control face the dilemma of not having a sustainable birth rate for its population. There are several mitigating factors for this reduction in addition to abortion. Women in the workforce (I am not against this) has pushed the age of women having children to the mid-thirties. Women, in favor of a professional career, who have children later in their lives have fewer children overall. When a couple takes this view, of putting off having children to focus on career, they are less likely to have greater than or equal to the required number of children needed to meet the sustainable figure. This has a ripple effect across the spectrum of the population. 

 

First, this ripple effect means there is a lesser tax base. Meaning that there are fewer people working to make a contribution to the tax system. All opinions aside, a potential maximum workforce to maximize the taxable income is being reduced by the very people who are wanting more government entitlements. Second, this means if you are terrified that AI is going to take your job, you don't have to worry because there will not be a person in existence to replace you in your job. AI or robots, should not be feared due to the fact that the potential maximum workforce is being reduced at an alarming rate. Lastly, it will become so grossly apparent that politicians will no longer be able to kick the can down the road to fund current projects such as "free medicare for all", free tuition etc. One option is to follow in the footsteps of our northern brother from the same mother - Canada. Canada also faces the low birth rate dilemma and have countered by welcoming legal immigrants. (Noticed the clarification in front of the word "immigrants").  Legal immigration can counter this but it takes a few generations before children of legal immigrants feel loyalty to the country they live in.   

 

If we are to increase our indigenous numbers, couples need to have more children, not less. They need to have them earlier in their careers, not later. And if "free medicare for all" is going to cause trillions of dollars in debt for our healthcare facilities leading to layoffs, then it will become vastly apparent the United States did not need "free medicare for all" to accomplish this. We can blame it on the dwindling Baby Boomer population and the Millennials for having children later in life. A counter would be to welcome legal immigration t those who wish to live the American life. 

 

 

Millennials projected to overtake Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation

BY RICHARD FRY

Millennials are on the cusp of surpassing Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest living adult generation, according to population projections from the U.S. Census Bureau. As of July 1, 2016 (the latest date for which population estimates are available), Millennials, whom we define as ages 20 to 35 in 2016, numbered 71 million, and Boomers (ages 52 to 70) numbered 74 million. Millennials are expected to overtake Boomers in population in 2019 as their numbers swell to 73 million and Boomers decline to 72 million. Generation X (ages 36 to 51 in 2016) is projected to pass the Boomers in population by 2028.

The Millennial generation continues to grow as young immigrants expand its ranks. Boomers – whose generation was defined by the boom in U.S. births following World War II – are aging and their numbers shrinking in size as the number of deaths among them exceeds the number of older immigrants arriving in the country.

Because generations are analytical constructs, it takes time for popular and expert consensus to develop as to the precise boundaries that demarcate one generation from another. Pew Research Center has assessed demographic, labor market, attitudinal and behavioral measures and has now established an endpoint – albeit inexact – for the Millennial generation. According to our revised definition, the youngest “Millennial” was born in 1996. This post has been updated accordingly (see note below).

 

Here’s a look at some generational projections:

Millennials

• With immigration adding more numbers to this group than any other, the Millennial population is projected to peak in 2036 at 76.2 million. Thereafter, the oldest Millennial will be at least 56 years of age and mortality is projected to outweigh net immigration. By 2050 there will be a projected 74.3 million Millennials.

Generation X

• For a few more years, Gen Xers are projected to remain the “middle child” of generations – caught between two larger generations, the Millennials and the Boomers. Gen Xers were born during a period when Americans were having fewer children than in later decades. When Gen Xers were born, births averaged around 3.4 million per year, compared with the 3.9 million annual rate from 1981 to 1996 when the Millennials were born.
• Though the oldest Gen Xer was 51 in 2016, the Gen X population is projected to grow for a couple more years. Gen Xers are projected to outnumber Boomers in 2028, when there will be 64.6 million Gen Xers and 63.7 million Boomers. The Census Bureau projects that the Gen X population will peak at 65.8 million in 2018.

Baby Boomers

• Baby Boomers have always had an outsize presence compared with other generations. They peaked at 78.8 million in 1999 and have remained the largest living adult generation.
• There were an estimated 74.1 million Boomers in 2016. By midcentury, the Boomer population is projected to dwindle to 16.6 million.

Note: This post was originally published on Jan. 16, 2015. It was updated April 25, 2016, under the headline “Millennials overtake Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation,” which reflected the Center’s definition of Millennials at the time (born between 1981 and 1997). This third version reflects the Center’s newly revised definition, under which Millennial births end in 1996.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Theseus

[nstoolman1]

This is for every generation.

 

 

Take care of the elderly. Everyone gets old. 

 

 

[Pitcher]

So true nstoolman1. I think I’m still a kid (66) because my parents both 92 tell me that all the time. Haha. 

Damn, when did we get old and my oldest is 40. Wow

[Sage449]

Reminds me of why social security is petering out too. Same reason, insufficient workers to support the funding long term. 

[umbertino]

4 hours ago, Pitcher said:

So true nstoolman1. I think I’m still a kid (66) because my parents both 92 tell me that all the time. Haha. 

Damn, when did we get old and my oldest is 40. Wow

 

Congrats, Pitcher...On your age and your Parents'

 

Just turned 62 and I start feelin' old myself...I know it's just a state of mind......

[Pitcher]

I’m old but I don’t act old or really feel any different than when I was 45. My motto, keep moving!!

[Pitcher]

1 hour ago, Sage449 said:

Reminds me of why social security is petering out too. Same reason, insufficient workers to support system" rel="">support the funding long term. 

 

Social Security is running out of money because our leaders are passing it out to people who never paid into the system. 

 

[umbertino]

5 minutes ago, Pitcher said:

I’m old but I don’t act old or really feel any different than when I was 45. My motto, keep moving!!

 

That's great, Pitcher.....Will try same....