Health-care costs are soaring, but don’t blame old people
The per-person allocation for those over 65 is actually shrinking
Health-care expenditures have doubled since 2002, but most of that change can be attributed to the 91% increase in costs for those aged 18 to 64. In the last 10 years, the percentage of the US population over 65 has grown from 12% to 16%, but its share of total health-care spending has remained flat, meaning the per-person allocation for those over 65 is actually shrinking.
Share of costs per person for those 65 and over is actually decreasing
First off, they’re healthier than ever.
And older people take better care of themselves than middle-aged adults.
Meanwhile, share of costs per person for those under 65 is increasing
Adults are increasingly dying “deaths of despair,” which the CDC defines as those from drugs, alcohol, or suicide.
147,095 people
died “by despair” in 2016.That's almost 2.5x the number in 2000.
Adult mortality rates are rising as a result, contributing to lower life expectancy (US, ages 15-60).
And the “cost of dying” under 65 is
24.6%
higher than end-of-life costs for those over 65.
Deep Dive
Tech policy
This is the real story of the Afghan biometric databases abandoned to the Taliban
By capturing 40 pieces of data per person—from iris scans and family links to their favorite fruit—a system meant to cut fraud in the Afghan security forces may actually aid the Taliban.
The covid tech that is intimately tied to China’s surveillance state
Heat-sensing cameras and face recognition systems may help fight covid-19—but they also make us complicit in the high-tech oppression of Uyghurs.
The Taliban, not the West, won Afghanistan’s technological war
The US-led coalition had more firepower, more equipment, and more money. But it was the Taliban that gained most from technological progress.
How Amazon Ring uses domestic violence to market doorbell cameras
Partnerships with law enforcement give smart cameras to the survivors of domestic violence. But who does it really help?
Stay connected
Illustration by Rose WongGet the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.