Medicare matters: Building on a record of accomplishments

Medicare's successes over the Past 35 years include doubling the number of persons age 65 or over with health insurance, increasing access to mainstre am health care services, and substantially reducing the financial burdens f aced by older Americans. Medicare reform remains high on the list of priori ties of many policymakers because of rapid past and expected future growth in Medicare. If the original goals of the program-including providing mains tream care, pooling of risks, and offering help to those most in need-are t o be protected, however, a go-slow approach for greater reliance on the pri vate sector is in order.