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Household Income

Most seniors live on a fixed income. The prices of prescription drugs and health care are increasing at several times the rate of inflation which is a serious problem for seniors. Between 1974 and 2002, the national median income for households in which the householder was 65 and over increased from $16,882 to $23,152 The average annual health care expenditure of a beneficiary with a chronic condition in 1999 was $11,047 according to the National Center for Health Statistics.