About the Article

With the United States attempting to reduce its budgetary deficit and in light of recent health care reforms, Medicare has become one of the most controversial federal programs. Various misconceptions surround this important public initiative, and this Article seeks to debunk those misconceptions to facilitate an informed debate about the future of Medicare. Professor Kaplan addresses and debunks the following myths: (1) there is one Medicare program, (2) Medicare is going bankrupt, (3) Medicare is government health care, (4) Medicare covers all medical costs for its beneficiaries, (5) Medicare pays for long term-care, (6) Medicare is politically immune to budgetary reduction, (7) Medicare wastes much of its money on futile care, (8) Medicare is less efficient than private health insurance, (9) Medicare is not means-tested, and (10) increased longevity will sink Medicare.

About the Author

Professor Richard L. Kaplan is the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at the University of Illinois College of Law. He received his B.S. from Indiana University and his J.D. from the Yale University Law School.

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