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UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20402
OFFICIAL BUSINESS

POSTAGE AND FEES PAID

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

The Aged Population of the United States:
The 1963 Social Security Survey of the Aged

Research Report No. 19 of the Office of Research and
Statistics of the Social Security Administration presents
the findings of a nationwide survey of the economic and
social situation of persons aged 65 and over. Data from the
survey have been widely used and cited for legislative and
research purposes. Now the full analysis and detailed tables
are brought together for the use of students and scholars
generally.

Orders for the report (viii, 423 pp.) should be directed to
the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Print-
ing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Price $1.25.

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The Social Security Bulletin is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402.

Price: $2.75 a year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico; $3.50 in all other countries; single copies, 25 cents. Price of the 1955 Supplement, 40 cents; 1956 Supplement, 45 cents; 1957 Supplement, 50 cents; 1959 Supplement, 55 cents; 1960 Supplement, 60 cents; 1962 Supplement, 60 cents; 1963 Supplement, 60 cents; 1964 Supplement, 50 cents; 1965 Supplement, 60 cents.

Use of funds for printing this publication has been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget (April 7, 1964).

NOTE: Contents of this publication are not copyrighted; any items may be reprinted, but citation of the Social Security Bulletin as the

Recent Publications

Current Operating Statistics

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
JOHN W. GARDNER, Secretary

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
ROBERT M. BALL, Commissioner

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND STATISTICS
IDA C. MERRIAM, Assistant Commissioner

Advisory Committee on Research Development
MARGARET GORDON, Chairman

E. CARY BROWN, JACOB FELDMAN
GEORGE H. HILDEBRAND, NATHAN KEYFITZ

JAMES MORGAN, EUGENE SMOLENSKY, FREDERICK F. STEPHAN

Social Security in Review

PROGRAM OPERATIONS

OASDI Benefits

At the end of July 1967, monthly benefits under the old-age, survivors, disability and health insurance program (OASDHI) were payable to approximately 23.3 million persons at the monthly rate of $1.7 billion. The rise of nearly 88,000 in the total number of beneficiaries reflected primarily the growth in the number of retired worker beneficiaries. Persons drawing child benefits for July were 19,000 fewer-mostly because of a drop in the number of student beneficiaries.

About 283,000 monthly benefit awards were made in July, the smallest number since January. The gradual downward trend in the number of monthly benefit awards of the last few months continued for most beneficiary categories.

Monthly benefit payments, which also include retroactive benefits, dipped to $1,790 million in July. Payments to retired workers and their dependents were $11.9 million lower than they had been in June, and lump-sum death payments decreased $2.8 million. However, payments to disabled workers and dependents were almost $2 million higher.

million from the supplementary medical insurance trust fund by fiscal intermediaries to pay for benefits provided under the health insurance program for the aged.

In July more than 460,000 hospital admission notices and about 21,000 "start of care" notices for home health services were received by the Social Security Administration for aged individuals covered under the health insurance program. Since the start of extended-care benefits in January 1967, over 235,000 extended-care admission notices have been received, and 35,600 of these notices were received in July.

As of August 4, 1967, the Social Security Administration records indicated that 5.1 million hospital insurance claims, amounting to more than $2.2 million in payments to providers of care, had been approved for payment by intermediaries through the end of June. The number

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HI Benefits

On July 1, 1967, the health insurance program for the aged under the Social Security Act began its second year of operation. During the program's first year, the Social Security Administration received almost 5.0 million hospital admission notices and about 228,000 "start of care" notices for home health services. For the same period, $2,507.8 million had been drawn from the hospital insurance trust fund and $662.7

Total monthly benefits (millions) 1.

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of covered days of inpatient hospital care per approved claim averaged 13.3 days in all hospitals, 12.9 in short-stay hospitals, and 36.4 in long-stay hospitals. The average amount paid per recorded claim was $481 per inpatient hospital claim, $12 per outpatient claim, $62 per home. health claim, and $300 per extended-care claim. Bills that had been recorded in the Social Security Administration central records as of August 4, 1967, for physicians' and related medical services under the medical insurance program numbered 12.7 million and amounted to $897.3 million in total reasonable charges, or an average of $71 per recorded bill.

SMALL DECLINE IN PAYMENTS UNDER PUBLIC
INCOME-MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS

July payments under public income-maintenance programs totaled $4.2 billion-about $38 million less than the total for June. Except for public employee retirement benefits, all programs paid out smaller amounts during the month. The largest absolute declines occurred in OASDHI and in unemployment insurance, which were down from last month's totals by $17 million and $10 million, respectively. Benefit amounts and the average weekly number of beneficiaries under unemployment insurance were at the lowest level thus far in 1967.

with dependent children offset the rise in the number assisted for reasons other than a parent's unemployment.

Total expenditures for assistance, including vendor payments for medical care, amounted to $633.3 million in July-$2.0 million less than June's total. The largest program changes were the decrease of $5.2 million in medical assistance and the rise of $1.8 million in medical assistance for the aged. (In the latter program, New Jersey expenditures included retroactive payments for costs of care in mental and tuberculosis institutions.)

Guam, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Oregon began operating medical assistance programs under title XIX of the Social Security Act in July, bringing to 35 the number of States and jurisdictions with such programs in operation.

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SIX JURISDICTIONS ADD MA PROGRAM

A slight rise in the number of persons receiving money payments under public assistance programs brought the total to 8.4 million in July. Small upward changes in general assistance caseloads in some States accounted for the rise. Little change occurred in the number getting payments under the federally aided assistance programs for adults. A decline of 23,000 in the unemployed-parent segment of aid to families

Old-age assistance..

Aid to the blind....

Aid to the permanently and totally disabled. Aid to families with dependent children.... General assistance...

7,742

7,740

7,189

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Aid to families with dependent children (per recipient)..

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Average monthly money payment: Old-age assistance..

1 Includes payments for medical care and lump-sum payments. Excludes persons for whom only medical vendor payments were made.

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