Chris Wing

Delivery System Transformation, Financial Oversight, Governance Effectiveness, Legislation and Legislative Advocacy, Care Delivery, Quality & Patient Safety, Strategic Planning, Issues & Trends

5 ways to improve care for older patients

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. These two programs (including state funding) represent 37 cents of every dollar spent on health care in the United States. There are more than 54 million Medicare beneficiaries and 64 million Americans on Medicaid.

As one of the defining moments of President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, much has changed with the nation and with Medicare since President Harry Truman was given card No. 1. Of all the tweaks and changes over the past half-century, three stand out.