Institute Says Health System Not Ready for Baby Boomers

The nation's health care system isn't ready to handle the aging baby boomers, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The financial problems facing Medicare get more attention, but the institute says there will be a quality problem as well. There aren't enough geriatric specialists available, and Medicare policies often hinder the best care, the report said.

Surveys show the public's attitudes about Medicare's financial state often show a lack of realism. Few Americans say they're "very" or "extremely" confident they will be able to get needed treatments and avoid financial hardship when they become eligible for Medicare. It's not uncommon to find major gaps between leaders and the public on issues, but when it comes to the medical and scientific areas on aging, the gap may not be that great. In our report, The Science of Aging Gracefully, we found scientists were pessimistic about the political prospects for research on aging. But our research suggests the public seems to be far more supportive of basic aging research than the official political voices might lead scientists to believe.