Aging Issues: Related GAO Reports and Activities in Fiscal Year 1994
(Letter Report, 12/29/94, GAO/HEHS-95-44).

This booklet compiles GAO's fiscal year 1994 products and ongoing work
on older Americans and their families.  Because the elderly are one of
the fastest growing segments of today's society, Congress faces a host
of issues--ranging from demographic changes in the structure and role of
the family to financing and provision of health care, Social Security,
and pensions--in which the federal government will play an important
role.  This booklet summarizes 30 issued reports on policies and
programs directed mainly at older Americans.  Included in this section
are reviews of health, income security, social services, and other
topics. GAO also summarizes 59 reports in which older Americans were one
of several groups targeted by federal policies.  For example, Medicaid
finances nursing homes and other types of long-term care, along with
medical care for poor persons of all ages.  In addition, this booklet
describes testimonies delivered during fiscal year 1994 on subjects
affecting older Americans and lists 55 ongoing jobs related to older
Americans.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  HEHS-95-44
     TITLE:  Aging Issues: Related GAO Reports and Activities in Fiscal 
             Year 1994
      DATE:  12/29/94
   SUBJECT:  Elderly persons
             Housing for the elderly
             Supplemental security income
             Federal social security programs
             Social security benefits
             Retirement pensions
             Veterans benefits
             Long-term care
             Health maintenance organizations
             Health insurance cost control
IDENTIFIER:  Social Security Disability Insurance Program
             AOA Project CARE
             Health Security Act
             Clinton Health Care Plan
             National Health Care Reform Initiative
             CalPERS Health Benefits Program (CA)
             Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance Program
             HUD Section 8 Certificate Program
             HUD Section 8 Voucher Program
             District of Columbia Pension Liability Funding Reform Act 
             of 1994
             Retirement Protection Act of 1993
             Medicare Program
             Medicaid Program
             Bibliographies
             National Performance Review
             
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Cover
================================================================ COVER


Report to the Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S.  Senate

December 1994

AGING ISSUES - RELATED GAO REPORTS
AND ACTIVITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 1994

GAO/HEHS-95-44

Aging Issues in Fiscal Year 1994


Abbreviations
=============================================================== ABBREV

  AOA - Administration on Aging
  CalPERS - California Public Employees' Retirement System
  CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  DI - Disability Insurance
  DOD - Department of Defense
  ERISA - Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
  FDA - Food and Drug Administration
  FTC - Federal Trade Commission
  HCA - Hospital Corporation of America
  HCFA - Health Care Financing Administration
  HMO - health maintenance organization
  HUD - Department of Housing and Urban Development
  ISSRA - individual Social Security retirement accounts
  LSD - lysergic acid
  NASD - National Association of Securities Dealers
  NYSE - New York Stock Exchange
  OASI - Old Age and Survivors Insurance
  OBRA-90 - Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
  OMB - Office of Management and Budget
  PBGC - Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
  PHS - Public Health Service
  PWBA - Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration
  SEC - Securities and Exchange Commission
  SSA - Social Security Administration
  SSI - Supplemental Security Income
  VA - Department of Veterans Affairs

Letter
=============================================================== LETTER


B-259318

December 29, 1994

The Honorable David H.  Pryor
Chairman, Special Committee on Aging
United States Senate

Dear Mr.  Chairman: 

This report was prepared in response to the Committee's November 25,
1994, request for a compilation of our fiscal year 1994 products and
ongoing work regarding older Americans and their families. 

GAO's work in aging reflects the continuing importance of federal
programs for older Americans.  The Census Bureau has estimated that
there are over 33 million older Americans today, and, by the year
2020, that number will exceed 53 million.  Because the elderly are
one of the fastest growing segments of today's society, the Congress
faces many issues involving income security and health policy in
which the federal government will play an important role.  These
issues range from demographic changes affecting the traditional
structure and role of the family to financing and provision of health
care, long-term care, Social Security, and pensions. 

Our work during fiscal year 1994 covered a range of issues, including
federal government activities in employment, health care, housing,
income security, and veterans' issues.  Some federal programs such as
Social Security and Medicare are directed primarily at older
Americans.  Other federal programs target older Americans as one of
several groups served, such as Medicaid or federal housing programs. 
We have organized the summaries of our fiscal year 1994 reports and
related products accordingly. 

In the appendixes, we describe four types of GAO activities that
relate to older Americans: 

reports on policies and programs directed primarily at older
Americans (see app.  I),

reports on policies and programs that affect older Americans as one
of several target groups (see app.  II),

congressional testimonies on issues related to older Americans (see
app.  III), and

ongoing work on issues related to older Americans (see app.  IV). 

The issues addressed by these products and ongoing work are presented
in table 1.  The table shows that health and income security were the
leading issues addressed among reports focused primarily on older
Americans.  Health and veterans were the leading issues that affected
both older Americans and other groups. 



                Table 1

 GAO Activities Relating to the Elderly
          in Fiscal Year 1994

