Social Security, Medicare: What does future hold?

The future of Social Security and Medicare will be addressed by University faculty members and other experts from around the nation in a conference from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, in Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall.

"Generational Responsibility: The Future of Social Security and Medicare," sponsored by the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies and the Concord Coalition's Paul Tsongas Project, is part of a series of talks around the country organized by the Concord Coalition to raise awareness of generational aspects of retirement policy, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and private pension plans.

The keynote address will be given at 1:15 p.m. by Peter Peterson (M.B.A.'51), president of the Concord Coalition and chairman of the Blackstone Group. A former part-time faculty member in the Graduate School of Business, he is the author of numerous articles and books on the topic of entitlement programs, including Will America Grow Up Before it Grows Old? (1996) and Facing Up: How to Rescue the Economy from Crushing Debt and Reassure the American Dream (1993).

The first panel, "Social Security's and Medicare's History and Unsustainable Future," at 2 p.m., will be moderated by Timothy Penny, a former congressman from Minnesota. The panelists are Edward Lawlor, Associate Professor in the School of Social Service Administration; Kevin Murphy, the George Pratt Schultz Professor in the GSB; Evelyn Morton of the American Association of Retired People; Sharon Canner of the National Association of Manufacturers; and Myrtle Habersham of the Social Security Administration.

At 3:15 p.m., a second panel, "Beyond Finance: the Public Policy Issues Surrounding Our Choices for Medicare and Social Security," will be moderated by Abner Mikva, Visiting Professor and Walter V. Schaefer Fellow in the Law School. The speakers are Linda Waite, Professor in Sociology; Mike Tanner of the the CATO Institute; and Heather Lamm, chair of the board of directors of Third Millennium.

The conference is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Harris School at 702-2287.