Major Structural Reform of Health Care Needed to Meet Growing Needs of Older Americans

Senior Journal - December 6, 2006

Claudia Fine, MPH, CSW, CMC, SeniorBridge Executive Vice President, Chief Professional Officer, participated in developing a new policy report by the International Longevity Center-USA, that calls for major reforms to the U.S. health care system to meet needs of senior citizens.

“Our current health care system is not meeting the needs of our older population,” says Dr. Robert Butler, president and CEO of the ILC-USA.

“The Medicare program created in 1965 focused on patients being treated only when sick with little or no emphasis on prevention and coordination. We must integrate what we now know about health care for older persons into a new system with an emphasis on keeping people healthy and productive as they grow old.”