The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
The Fund identifies and shares policy ideas and analysis to advance state health leadership, strong primary care, and sustainable health care costs.
Keep up with news and updates from the Milbank Memorial Fund. And read the latest blogs from our thought leaders, including Fund President Christopher F. Koller.
The Fund publishes The Milbank Quarterly, as well as reports, issues briefs, and case studies on topics important to health policy leaders.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is is a foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
September 1983 (Volume 61)
Quarterly Article
James F. Fries
December 2024
Dec 19, 2024
Back to The Milbank Quarterly
Within this century the major problems of health and illness have shifted from those of infectious diseases to the burdens of chronic illness and aging. Although there is an apparent “maximum life potential”-and more people can expect to approach this biological limit-the challenge is to increase the span of years free of disability. Fears about aging-chronic disease, senescence, and total dependence on others-may not be warranted in the future.
Author(s): James F. Fries
Download the Article
Read on JSTOR
Volume 61, Issue 3 (pages 397–419) Published in 1983