Indexing Government Programs for Changes in the Cost of Living
通过计量经济模型构建社会生活成本指数，发现其与Tornqvist指数在1947-1995年间平均通胀率相同，但1973年后上升较慢。按种族、性别、年龄分组显示，1980年以来老年家庭通胀率略高。建议用社会及分组生活成本指数替代消费者价格指数来调整社会保障等政府计划。
This article presents social cost-of-living indexes constructed from an econometric model of aggregate consumer behavior. The econometric price index has the same average inflation rate as a Tornqvist price index over the period 1947–1995 but rises less rapidly after 1973. Group cost-of-living indexes are presented for white and nonwhite, male- and female-headed, and elderly and nonelderly households. Elderly households have experienced a slightly higher rate of inflation than the nonelderly since 1980. We recommend indexing government programs, such as Social Security, by social and group cost-of-living indexes rather that the Consumer Price Index.