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"The Aged and Their Place in the Population, " 1960
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"The Aged and Their Place in the Population, " 1960
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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Old age
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The original documents are located in Box D15, folder "The Aged and Their Place in the
Population, 1960" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at
the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
I
THE AGED AND THEIR PLACE IN THE POPULATION
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
POPULATION AND THE AGED
FORD is LIBRAR r
X
While the total population has increased 12% from 1900
to 1958, those 65 and over have increased 388%. Projected
increases from 1900-1970 will be 181% for the general pop-
ulation and 535% for those 65 and over. There were 3 milli
ion 65 and over in 1900, and there will be 191/2 million by
1970--9% of the population. SOURCE: BUR. VITAL STATISTICS
LIFE EXPECTANCY
TRALD FORD LIBRAR,
X
A white male child born today can expect to live on an
average to be 67 years of age, or almost 19 years longer
than if he were born in 1900. The man who is 65 today can
expect an average of 13 years more of life--only 1.2 years
more than he might have expected in 1900. SINCE 1900 THE
EXPECTANCY IN YEARS BEYOND 65 HAS INCREASED MUCH LESS THAN
LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH.
HEALTH OF THE AGED
LIBRARY
About 5% of the aged (65 or over) are institutionalized.
In the age group 65-74, 27.8% have partial limitation and
9.4% have major limitation of activity, meaning that more
than 1 in 3 are limited in the amount or kind of major or
outside activities. Peraons 65 and over spend twice as
much time as a patient in a short-term care hospital as
******** does the younger persons.
30% of patients in public psychiatric hospitals were 65
and over. The average age of patients in chronic disease
hospitals is about 70 years. 91% of patients in proprie-
tary nursing homes are 65 and over.
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
MEDICAL CARE COSTS OF AGED
X
Medical care costs increased 44.9% from 1949-59, while
the index for all other items rose 22.4% (double the
rate). Per capita expenditures of older people for medical
care are twice those for persons below age 65. The aged
spent $2.6 billion for personal medical care in
GERALD 1958. FORD LIBRARY
AGED WITH HOSPITAL INSURANCE
FORD is LIBRAR
Figures disagree somewhat as to the percentage of the
aged with medical insurance. Estimates run close to 50%
By 1961, nearly half of those aged 70-74 and a third of
those past 75 years of age might be expected to be insured
for hospital expenses. A recent study by Anderson conclu-
ded that "the increase of health insurance for those 65
OVER
years and over is increasing at a faster rate than the
rest of the population."
II
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE AGED
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
GENERAL MEDICAL-HEALTH APPROPRIATIONS
GERALD 8. FORD LIBRARY X
In 1960 over $3 billion was appropriated for the
mèdical-health activities of 20 federal agencies. This
was an increase of $216 million over the year previous,
EXAMPLES
Hill-Burton financing of hospital construction $150 m.
Research by U. S. Public Health Svc and National Institute
of Health
OVER
$400 m.
3. Bureau of Public Assistance payments $280 million
4.
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation $66 million
5.
In-patient care in VA hospitals, domiciliary care
for veterans, out-patient care in VA hospitals
$833 million
6.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH PROGRAMS $11.5 million
PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE OF DISABILITY THROUGH PRO-
GRAMS IN WHICH THE U.S. GOV'T PARTICIPATES IN FISCAL 1960:
6.1 mill beneficiaries
$5.067 billion dollars in payments
OASI STATISTICS
078820
CLIBRARY
Nearly 13 3/4 million persons were receiving old-age,
survivors and disability insurance benefits in December,
1959, at a rate of $845 million a month. (Annually-$10
billion.) 73% of those 65 or over are receiving OASI
benefits or are eligible to receive them when they or their
OVER
spouses retire. The mothers and children in 9 out of 10
families today would be able to draw survivors benefits
if the breadwinner were to die.
OASI BENEFITS--KENT AND OTTAWA COUNTY
FORD is LIBRARY GERALD
x
Drong Ilec. 1959
In Kent County, 28, 504 persons receive OASI benefits
^
of $1,921,297 monthly. In Ottawa County. 7,364 received
benefits totaling $474.647. This, in the 5th Congressional
District alone, almost $2.5 million in monthly benefits or
$30 million a year comes into the hands of our senior
citizens through this program.
OTTAWA COUNTY BENEFITS (BY CATEGORIES) Dec 31, 1959
Category
Persons Receiving
Monthly Benefits
OASI
7,364
$474,647
DI
157
11,573
Old age
3,962
$306,735
Disability 104
9,938
Wife & Husb. 1541
62,451
:-
FORD
Child's
870
43,960
Widow's &
Widowers
850
50,699
GERALD
LIBRARY
OVER
Mother's
188
$11,973
Parent's
6
464
HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR THE AGED
(THOSE CONCERNED)
1. Individual, his family, his
neighbors and friends, and groups
of retired persons themselves.
2. Agencies and groups in the
American community. Health care
personnel. Voluntary agencies,
church groups, private organization
3. Public welfare agencies, local
gov't officials, state conferences
on the aging, agencies within U. S.
Department of HEW, and state activ
LD
ities leading up to January, 1961,
ALIGRAR,
OVER
White House Conference on the Aging
4. Subcommittee on Problems of the
Aged and Aging of the Committee
on Labor and Welfare of the U.S.
Senate.
5. Students and researchers of the
subject, often working for our
private foundations and universitie
FORD & LIBRARY 0ERALD
METHODS OF ATTACK ON PROBLEM
1. Health promotion and
FORD is LIBRARY 07H CERT
of the well person
2. Early detection of chronic
diseases.
3. Non-institutional care services
4. Dental services (part of healt]
care programs, committees, etc.)
5. Dietary, nutrition and
management services.
6. Hospital--community day, gen-
eral and chronic disease hospital:
7. Nursing homes & homes for aged
over
X
SBA funds for nursing homes. Hill
Burton construction of 11,678 beds.
Guaranteed mortgage loans under FHA
for proprietory nursing homes.
8.
Organized home care.
9.
Counseling and moordination.
10.
Industrial and union programs.
Of 300 collectively bargained healt
and welfare plans, about 25%
continued hospitalization coverage
after retirement. One insurance
company's major medical group
contracts covered 99% éxtible of
its employees with 56% of those
covered after retirement.
FORD is LIBRARY GERALD
ovos
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AGING
1.
Called by President Eisenhower for January 9-12,
1961.
2.
National Advisory Committee appointed--they set up
subcommittees assisted by technical directors and
consultants to prepare working papers for State and
local conferences to be held in preparation for WHC.
OVER
3.
SUBJECT MATTER AREAS. Population trends. Income
maintenance. Impact of inflation. Retirement. Health
and medical care. Rehabilitation. Social service.
Housing. Education. Role of professional personnel.
Family life. Free time activities.
Religion.
Research
in gerontology (biological, medical, social science).
Local community org. State org. National Voluntary
Services.
Federal organizations and programs.
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON THE AGED: CONCERN WITH
RELIGION
FORD
Committee on Religion and the Aging chaired by
Msgr.,Rabbi, and Protestant clergyman.
GERA
LIBRARY
Background paper prepared on common grounds of meeting
situation of the aged in modern American Society,
including self-image, needs, attitudes toward,
and change in family life of the aged. TAKE COPY
FORD
Committee on Religion and the Aging chaired by
Msgr., Rabbi, and Protestant clergyman.
GERA
LIBRARY
Background paper prepared on common grounds of meeting
situation of the aged in modern American Society,
including self-image, needs, attitudes toward,
and change in family life of the aged. TAKE COPY
III
The Issue of Federal provision of medical care
for persons aged 65 years and over.
FORD is LIBRARY DERALD
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
1942-- Rep. Eliot bill to extend hospitalization insurance
to all covered by OASI and dependents.
Duplicated by
Green bills of 1943-1945.
1952-First bill to extend hospitalization benefits to
those entitled to OASI benefits (smaller group)
It
has been introduced in each Congress since RTS then
GE,
LIBRARY
OVER
1957--First "Forand bill", included other non-medical
items and nursing and surgical benefits as well as
hospitalization.
1959--S Res 65 authorized Senate subcommittee to study
problems of Aged and Aging--report on January 29, 1960,
recommended legislation to expand OASI and disability FORD
it
insurance to include health benefits for all persons
elígible for OASDI. Dissenting minority report. ERAL
LIBRARY
86th Congress-Forand and McNamara bills.
x
Forand bill would cover OASI-eligible persons, amounting
to 13.5 million, and would be financed by additional of
1% OASI tax. Total cost: $1.1 billion annually.
McNamara Bill would include all retired aged with FUND
9a
exceptions==14.8 million. Financed the same way for OAST
eligibles--for others $370 million from general GER revenues.
over
Cost--$1.1 billion first year, $1.5 billion annually afte
that.
Fords FORD NEBRASKA
ARGUMENTS FOR GOVERNMENTAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FOR THE
X
AGED.
N. Medical need of the aged.
2.
Limitations of private health insurance to do the job
3.
Human and financial disaster that illness imposes upon
the aged.
FORD
4.
salling modest possessions.
Public assistance means need for exhausting GERAIG R. savings and
BRARY
ARGUMENTS AGAINST GOVERNMENTAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM FOR
THE AGED.
1. The aged are not poor in perspective or relative to
other groups in the population.
2.
Legislation of the Forand type will not meet the aged
special needs. (Nursing home, degenerative diseases,
etc )
3.
Many aged can afford to pay their health
bills. R. FORD UBRART
over
4.
Will not help those aged most in need-4 to 5 million
not entitled to OASI benefit.
5.
Government's moving into just that area of medical car
in which private insurance is having the most success in
meeting the need.
FORD
6. Many feel it the forerunner of a compulsory governmen
run health insurance program. Quality of health might
GE
deteriorate.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION 1960
X
1. Both House and Senate Committees (Ways and Means
and Finance) did not report Forand type proposals out,
and neither body as a whole approved Forand type amendment
Why? Compulsory. Completely federal program. Excluded
41 of our most needy citizens. Cost difficult to predict
2. House Ways and Means Committee held public hearings
OVER
on certain health care proposals and also studies and
considered in executive session a great deal of information
designed to make them familiar with problems existing in
the area of health care for the aged. They reported
&
an omnibus "Mills Bill" which included grants to states 118
for medical care for aged individuals of low income.
BRARY
SUMMARY OF MILLS BILL
(Version passed both Houses and signed into law,
September 13, 1960)
1. Provides for a new program of medical assistance. to
the aged under title I of the Social Security Act.
2. Within the discretion of each state as to whether they
will participate.
3. Assistance available to persons over the age of 65
OLD 418817 R. TORO
GER
ARV
residing in a State whose resources are found by the
over
State to be insufficient to meet the costs of needed
medical services.
4.
States may determine eligibility for medical assist-
ance on a basis more liberal than for old-age assistaj
ce
Federal participation will be available for a
broad range of medical servieses which will include
some noninstitutional as well as institutional care.
5:
Federal government will share in total expenditures
made by state with proportion determined by the rela-
tionship between the average per capita income in the
State as compared to the national per capita income.
Federal share among the States will range from 50-80%
6. First year will use up $60 million in Federal funds
and $56 million in State and local funds. SALD
Effective
LIBRA
October 1, 1960.
THE AGED AND EMPLOYMENT
SOURCE: SURVEY OF NATIONAL
COMMITTEE ON AGINE: "WORK
ATTITUDES AT AGE 65"
About half as large a % of males 65 and over were employed
in 1958 as in 1890. (1890-68.2% of those 65 or over in
labor force-1958, only 34.7%)
The number of male
employees who desire to keep working after age 65 averages
&
FORD
40-60%, however. Restrictions on job openings in 1959 had
an upper limit of 45 years on 41% or more of the openings $ 11,00
RAL
R
INCOME OF THE AGED
In 1957, average income for males aged 65 and
older was $2,100 and for women $800. The median money
income of all males 65 and older was lower, $1,421, while
it can accurately be said that 3/5 of all persons R. agenz 65
and over had less than $1,000 of money income
BERRID 1957
LIBRARY