Final answer:
Future U.S. healthcare policy is being shaped by an aging Baby Boomer population, leading to higher demands for healthcare services and increased spending. Medicare and other government programs will need to adapt to handle the growing percentage of GDP spent on healthcare. Strategic planning is required to meet these foreseeable challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of the healthcare policy in the United States centers on the adjustments needed to cater to an aging population, particularly with respect to the Baby Boomer generation. This segment, born between 1946 and 1964, adds up to about 74 million individuals approaching or having reached retirement age. Given their advancing age, Baby Boomers are more likely to encounter health-related issues, such as heart conditions, arthritis, and Alzheimer's, creating a surge in the need for medical care, including hospitalization, long-term care, and in-home nursing.
Healthcare spending, as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is anticipated to rise by 5.5 percent per annum through to 2027. The fiscal impact on government programs like Medicare is profound; its expenditure as part of the GDP is on the trajectory to swell from 3 percent in 2009 to a projected 8 percent by 2030 and potentially 15 percent by 2080. This prediction on policy and spending underscores the pressing requirement for strategic planning in healthcare services to ensure that the growing demands are met efficiently and effectively.
Additionally, with advancements in life-saving and life-extending technologies, as well as legislation such as the Affordable Care Act (although its longevity is uncertain under varying political administrations), the pressure on healthcare systems to adapt and expand is underscored. Policy makers must, therefore, anticipate these demographic shifts and develop sustainable healthcare policies that will be robust enough to handle the increased demand.