In projecting Medicare's cost, more realistic assumptions show an even worse outlook
Created on May 22, 2012
Revised and Updated March 22, 2013
Slide 5 | Medicare at Risk: Visualizing the Need for Reform
The Medicare trustees are required to base their projections on current law as it is written. These projections rely on unrealistic assumptions, such as Congress allowing staggering provider payment cuts that will harm seniors' access to care. The alternative scenario paints a more likely picture of the program's cost. Either way, the future is bleak.