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12/03/2003
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Medicare Coverage by Nativity, 2002

(Numbers in 1,000s except percentages)

 

Medicare Recipients:

 

 

Total People

 

 

Number

As a % of people

in category

Native

252,463

34,651

13.7%

Foreign Born

33,471

3,798

11.3%

Naturalized                 Citizen

12,837

2,658

20.7%

 Not a Citizen

20,634

1,139

 5.5%

Total Population

285,933

38,448

13.4%

Source: Census Bureau, "Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2002," September 2003. Tables A-2, p.20.

 

Medicare Spending Growth, 1968-2003

 

Medicare Outlays:

 

Fiscal Year

Amount

($Billions)

As a %

Of GDP

As a % of

Federal Outlays

1968

  $5.3

0.61%

  2.98%

1970

  $7.1

0.70%

 3.63%

1980

 $35.0

1.28%

  5.92%

1990

$109.7

1.91%

  8.75%

2000

$219.0

2.25%

12.24%

2001

$241.1

2.38%

12.94%

2002

$256.8

2.48%

12.77%

2003Est.

$272.9

2.54%

12.34%

2005Est.

$308.7

2.61%

13.20%

2008Est.

$388.2

2.84%

14.35%

Sources: OMB, Budget of the U.S. Government 2004, Historical Tables, February 2003.

OMB, Mid-Session Review, July 2003.

Edwin S. Rubenstein (email him) is President of ESR Research Economic Consultants in Indianapolis.

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