Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Policy

Medicare Fun Fact of the Day

Peter Suderman | 2.18.2011 12:55 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Via Avik Roy's new blog at Forbes:

In 1965, government experts projected that in 1990, on an inflation-adjusted basis, Medicare would cost $12 billion. In reality, Medicare in 1990 cost $107 billion. Oops.

This is what Arnold Kling means when he talks about "expert failure."

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Reason.tv: Creating a Free State - Filmmaker Christina Heller on Building a Libertopia in New Hampshire

Peter Suderman is features editor at Reason.

PolicyNanny StateMedicareObamacare
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (38)

Latest

Hyundai Raid Shows Trump Can't Deport His Way To a Manufacturing Boom

Autumn Billings | 9.9.2025 3:00 PM

The GAIN AI Act Looks More Like Protectionism Than National Security

Tosin Akintola | 9.9.2025 2:45 PM

Even If Trump's Birthday Letter to Jeffrey Epstein Is 'Fake,' How Is It Defamatory?

Jacob Sullum | 9.9.2025 1:55 PM

Steamed NIMBYs Mandated Saunas To Stop New Housing

Christian Britschgi | 9.9.2025 1:15 PM

They Thought Legal Weed Meant Freedom. Then the Drones Came.

Mattha Busby | 9.9.2025 1:00 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300