자립준비청년 자립촉진을 위한 자립수당/정착금 재구조화 방안 연구

Abstract

The US Medicare program, managed by the federal government, was introduced in 1965 for older adults. Medicare is considered a general program, as it is available to anyone aged 65 or older, regardless of income level, employment status, or health status. However, Medicare has a rather complicated structure, with private insurers involved and coverage divided into Parts A, B, C, and D. Recently, as health service use has grown with the aging population, leading to a rise in health care spending, concerns have arisen about the financial sustainability of Medicare. Adding to these concerns, Medicare enrollees are facing growing difficulties in accessing health services due to rising claim denials and increasing pre-authorization requirements. The current situation warrants an examination of Medicare’s status and the options underway to improve its sustainability and expand its benefit coverage. “Medicare for All” is one of the reform directions aimed at transforming the health insurance program from the current multi-insurer system to a single-insurer model, with a view to providing a more comprehensive range of health services to all. Numerous attempts to make Medicare a single-insurer scheme have been unsuccessful. Achieving this goal requires, above all, financial sustainability and political consensus. Such a shift seems unlikely to occur any time soon at the federal level, though state-based reforms may be more feasible. The US government is likely to pursue gradual reforms, instead of enacting drastic changes, to expand Medicare benefits.