Modeling Task Force to Meet
on Wednesday, May 27

WASHINGTON (May 26) -- The Modeling Task Force of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare will meet on Wednesday, May 27, in Washington, D.C., to finalize plans for its presentation to the full Commission at its June meeting, Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) and Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) announced today.

The task force will meet from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, in Room H-137 of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. It will be the fourth meeting of the task force since April 21, and this meeting, too, is open to the public.

The task force has been meeting regularly to prepare its analysis of possible scenarios for Medicare's future, based on anticipated demographic changes.

Experts say that in 10 years, Medicare will face a dramatic increase in the demand for its services as 77 million "Baby Boomers" start retiring, entering Medicare and relying on the program for their health care needs.

The 17-member National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare was established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and is charged with finding ways to preserve Medicare for future generations. The commission's report is due to be delivered to the Congress and the Administration by March 1, 1999.

REMINDER: On May 21, we issued an advisory, giving details about the June 1-2 Commission meeting. The meeting is open to the public and will be held in two sessions: June 1, 1-5 p.m., and June 2, 9-11 a.m. Both sessions will be held in Room LA-202, Adams Building, Library of Congress, corner of 2nd St. and Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. Also, after the Commission meeting, the Reform Task Force will hold its first meeting from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Room H-137, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. That meeting, too, is open to the public.