Inequity in Health Protection: Elderly
Ageing and the looming crisis of health and long-term care protection impacts
Demographic changes and the related public expenditure on health and long-term care are or will be a source of concern in almost every country. Due to longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group.
Today, ageing societies are a particular concern in developed countries, but developing countries are not far behind. The proportion of the population aged 65 and over is expected to triple in less developed countries over the next 40 years, rising from 5.8 to 15 per cent of the total population, while in the more developed countries this figure is expected to rise from 16 to 26 per cent. Public expenditures on health and long-term care for the elderly are expected to grow at a rapid pace, putting public budgets increasingly under pressure.
The increasing demand for health and long term care will result in a considerable rise of needs of the elderly and related out-of-pocket payments (OOP) will put a severe financial burden on the elderly. Already today, persons aged 80+ spend a significantly larger share of their household per capita income on OOP for health care than younger cohorts in almost all selected countries. OOP constitute a threat for the elderly and can become a source of impoverishment. In many countries important income reductions are observed and in some cases even financial ruin of households where costs for care exceed the total income of the elderly. Elderly women, who typically have higher life expectancy than men, are at particular financial risk.