An Intergenerational Evaluation of Medicare

Congress has been grappling with an ambitious agenda this legislative session, debating plans to support working families with child care, tax credits, housing support, preschool education, and other efforts to strengthen the middle class.1 In the end, none of these programs were included in legislation. The failure of efforts to address the needs of Millennial young families and working adults stands in stark contrast with the continued success of one of the largest public programs to address the needs of the Baby Boom population — the Medicare program. The federal government continues to support this $1 trillion program without any substantial debate (except about ways to expand the benefits of the program). Regardless of the merits of any particular program on the legislative agenda, the disparate treatment of the needs of these different generations, Millennials and Baby Boomers, requires further reflection.