Medicaid offers service regardless of age (Waidmann 1998). The author asserts that raising the age eligibility will simply increase the responsibilities of the Medicaid system (Waidmann 1998).. On the other hand, the article also asserts that an increase in the eligibility age to 67 will only make a small difference in Medicare savings. The article explains that it would only add one year to the life of hospital insurance trust fund (Waidmann 1998)..
Analysis of these reforms using Priester's framework
Priester has some definite opinions about the values that the healthcare in America should have. Priester explains that any type of healthcare reform that is put into place should incorporate the successes of healthcare systems in Canada and the Netherlands (Priester 1992). Priester also contends that new healthcare reform values should include Fair access, Quality Care, Efficiency, Respect for patients, Patient advocacy, and Personal responsibility (Priester 1992).
According to Priester, under the current health system there is a supposed obligation to provide healthcare access without discriminatory or financial barriers. (Priester p. 89, 1992) However, he contends that under the current system such barriers exists and must be addressed. By combining part a and part b of the Medicare system perhaps some of the financial barriers that are present can be disseminated. However, it also seems that the merger of part a and b may result in insolvency and create larger problems. These problems may prevent "fair access"...
In addition, if the finance of Medicare becomes the responsibility of the working poor and the working class they may have a more difficult time paying for their own medical insurance (Priester 1992).
Raising the eligibility could threaten to undermine quality care and patient advocacy. Although the research suggest that people aged 65 and 66 are less likely to have health problems and probably have other means of retaining health care, it is an inevitable fact that some people this age will not have any medical coverage. Therefore, the care that they will receive may not be the best quality of care. In addition, people in this age range may need serious medical attention and will not have an advocate to ensure that they receive care. Overall, it seems that neither of these reforms truly embraces the values presented by Priester.
Works Cited
Building Better Medicare for today and tomorrow (1999) Retrieved on October 23, 2004 from; http://medicare.commission.gov/medicare/bbmtt31599.html
Kogan R., Park E. (2003). Retrieved on October 23, 2004 from; http://www.cbpp.org/11-3-03health.htm
Priester R. (1992) A values Framework for health system reform. Health Affairs,
Waidmann, T, (1998) "Potential Effects of raising Medicare eligibility age," Health Affairs. Retrieved on October 23, 2004 from; http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:hoNzhNjyAvMJ:content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/17/2/156.pdf+Raising+Eligibility+age+for+medicare&hl=en
