Comments on the paper by John Menefee

This paper raises several questions about the economics of the health of the elderly that must be identified in order to assess the adequacy of current data to answer them. The questions relate to methods of financing and organizing personal medical care services, utilization review and other direct controls on utilization, and the costs and benefits of alternative income support methods for the elderly. The author suggests that to answer the questions, the following are needed: (1) demonstrations with randomization; (2) public data such as those collected using the Health Interview Survey and the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; and (3) longitudinal data, such as those from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the National Longitudinal Survey.