Deck 18: Aging Policy in the 21st Century

Question 1

Under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, for the first time ____.

A)Medicare benefits and payments began to vary by income
B)Medicare benefits and payments were unrelated to individual income
C)the donut hole was closed for middle-income beneficiaries
D)Medicare provided more care for the affluent than for others with the same health needs

Answer 1

Medicare benefits and payments began to vary by income

Question 2

The Medicare Part D drug benefit was designed to ____.

A)reduce the volume of drugs consumed
B)reduce the cost of most drugs
C)encourage middle-income seniors to reliably take the prescribed doses of their medications
D)encourage affluent seniors to cross-subsidize the drug costs of middle-income seniors

Answer 2

reduce the volume of drugs consumed

Question 3

The result of the revised reimbursement formula in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 was ____.

A)a substantial drop in the number of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans
B)the growth of managed care plans in rural and low-cost areas
C)the growth of managed care plans in urban and high-cost areas
D)a substantial increase in the number of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans

Answer 3

a substantial drop in the number of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans

Question 4

The prominent role of nursing homes in American society arises from ____.

A)our society's ways of thinking about appropriate activities and environments for the elderly
B)a universal understanding of the needs of the aged
C)data comparing nursing home care and community-based care
D)collaborations among European and U.S.-based researchers to develop the best possible elder care

Question 5

In 2011 and 2012, Congressman Paul D. Ryan (R-WI), chair of the House Budget Committee and future vice presidential candidate, proposed turning the Medicare current benefit into ____.

A)vouchers for beneficiaries to help them purchase private health insurance
B)a guarantee of a wide range of services
C)cash subsidies for beneficiaries to do with what they wished
D)coverage of 75% of costs with mandatory 25% co-pays

Question 6

The author states that as needs become more equally distributed across age cohorts in the United States, it is quite possible that the 21st century will see ____.

A)a rise in intergenerational struggles for limited resources
B)greater social solidarity between the rich and the poor
C)a reframing of ageism to reflect the contemporary global economy
D)the dissolution of Social Security and Medicare

Question 7

The underlying principal of "consumer-driven health care" is ____.

A)the economists' model of competitive markets
B)an emphasis on preventive care over curative care
C)health care for all according to individual need
D)the provision of care in the community where possible

Question 8

While the nation's total nursing home population was decreasing from 1999 through 2008, the proportion of which group of nursing home residents increased the most sharply?

A)elderly Hispanic residents
B)elderly black residents
C)disabled residents of all ages
D)elderly white residents

Question 9

How we as a nation, and our politicians, think about aging is primarily the product of ____.

A)social creation
B)empirical data
C)objective experience
D)common experiences across nations

Question 10

Which statement is accurate regarding the findings of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging's 2010 survey of local governments?

A)Most communities were only able to maintain services and programs that existed before 2005.
B)Most communities struggled to provide basic preventive screenings and flu shots.
C)Most communities had expanded their services since 2005 to include respite programs for family caregivers.
D)Most communities were expanding their "liveable" communities for all ages.

Question 11

Which organization has actively supported the privatization of Social Security?

A)USA/Next
B)Alliance of Retired Americans
C)National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
D)AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons)

Question 12

Federal aid to the elderly is largely administered through ____.

A)agencies that serve a wide range of beneficiaries
B)the Social Security Administration
C)bureaucracies dedicated to a single "clientele" group
D)the Administration on Aging

Question 13

The current attitude towards the core programs for health and social services for elders is ____.

A)a willingness to reconsider established arrangements because of the magnitude of the coming population shift
B)a reluctance to do anything more than tinker at the margins of the programs
C)a desire to expand the programs to address the declining health status in every age group
D)a plan to focus almost exclusively on the needs of the old-old

Question 14

Which statement regarding AARP is accurate?

A)It is officially non-partisan and cannot make political contributions.
B)Its priority is low-income elderly.
C)It is closely affiliated with unions and the Democratic party.
D)It emphasizes financial contributions from industry rather than individual members.

Question 15

Which statement is accurate regarding Social Security and Medicare?

A)The Social Security deficit can be corrected with some reasonable adjustment, but the future Medicare cost problem appears intractable.
B)Because Social Security promises a service benefit, its costs are held hostage to rising health care costs.
C)Because Medicare provides a cash benefit, the future costs are quite predictable.
D)Medicare provides a benefit that is clearly defined by regulations for everyone who is covered while Social Security benefits depend on market forces.