Joseph Antos' analysis of Medicare's fiscal crisis and reform options that could make the program sustatainable; a response to a request from 16 health professionals elected to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for public comment on Medicare reform. 

A panel of retirement finance experts will discuss questions regarding retirement policy reform.

Over the next several decades the largest fiscal challenge facing the federal government is the aging of the population, which will drive up costs for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. When smaller numbers of workers must support larger numbers of retirees, public policy should encourage individuals to do three things.

Alex Brill offers a blueprint for "meaningful, incremental change to strengthen Social Security" and reduce the long-term fiscal burden on the budget.

Until the legislative process takes into account the long-term consequences of short-term policy actions (and inactions), we have no assurance that Medicare can be saved.

The failure of the Congressional Super Committee means that major economic policy decisions are likely to wait for 2013. The government will be funded and not bump up against the debt ceiling, and perhaps some modest initiatives might go forward such as renewing payroll tax cuts or extended unemployment insurance benefits.

There are two basic ways to finance a reformed health system: raise revenue or reduce health spending. We will undoubtedly do both.