Medicare Actuary Issues Cautions About Current Efforts To ‘Cure’ Spiralling Costs
CQ HealthBeat: Medicare Actuary Says Premium Support, Current Cost-Cutting, Won't Cure Medicare
Medicare's actuary warned Tuesday that controlling cost growth is the primary challenge to the entitlement program's financial stability, but that neither the premium support system sought by Republicans nor cost-cutting measures pushed by the administration provide all the answers. Richard S. Foster, chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, testified alongside Social Security Actuary Stephen C. Goss during a House Budget Committee hearing on strengthening the finances of the two entitlement programs (Ethridge, 2/28).