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