Are Baby Boomers The New Health Insurance Crisis?
Americans are living longer but they’re not living healthier, a new government study reports. Half of Americans aged 55 – 64, the oldest of the baby boomers, have high blood pressure and two in five are obese, according to the study issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The prevalence of these chronic medical conditions will continue to strain an already struggling health care system as more and more boomers enter the ailing age group. As reported in the new findings, the 55 – 64 population is predicted to swell by 11 million in the next decade, reaching 40 million by 2014. It isn’t all bad news. The country’s overall life expectancy has also risen – up to 77.6 years from 77.3 years in 2002. Unfortunately, the prospect of an increased life span is tainted by researchers’ projection that more Americans may just be living with the pain and discomfort of disease, longer. Controlling high blood pressure and obesity is crucial for health, according to HHS Secretary Mik
