When Social Security was initiated in 1935, only 6.1% of the US population was older than 65 years old. By 2010, that percentage had more grown to 13%, and by 2030, it is expected to be more than 20% of the US population.
Elderly patients account for more than 4% of all inpatient days. It seems that people older than 65 years of age have surgery 2.7 times more often than people younger than age 65 years.
Federal spending for Medicare in 2011 was 13.5% of the federal budget. It is estimated that people older than age 65 account for nearly half of the nation's health care costs.