Hispanics tend to live longer than non-Hispanic whites and blacks, but Hispanics also tend to have a greater number of years with functional health problems, according a new report by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health.

Those factors indicate an upcoming Hispanic aging boom that will parallel the baby boomers' aging trend, the report released Tuesday said.

"There is a dramatic growth projection for the older adult (Hispanic) population," said Adolph Falcon, editor of the report. "Our proportion increases even more if you look at 75 and older and 85 and older."

Hispanics age 65 and over are projected to outnumber senior black Americans by one million people by 2030, and by 2050 the number of senior Hispanics is expected to grow to 13.8 million, according to the report.

As Hispanics age, Falcon said the health-care system will face challenges such as providing nursing facilities and assisted living options that reflect the culture and community.

And, while Falcon said Medicare is taking steps toward addressing preventive care through measures such as a complete health analysis for new enrollees, at least some of the nation's aging Hispanics are undocumented and therefore are not eligible for Medicare.

"We need to look at creative ways to finance health-care services," he said. "For residents living along the U.S.-Mexico border, there have been some calls for creating an insurance plan that's usable on both sides of the border. Strengthening the network of community health services is important."

Even for those who do qualify for Medicare, the rising costs of health care are a concern because the government insurance plan for seniors typically requires patients pay for 20 percent of their care, said Randall Rupper, assistant professor of geriatrics at the University of Utah and geriatric researcher at the Salt Lake VA hospital. Long-term care is also a costly issue for everyone. And Hispanics traditionally are more likely to lack insurance.

"That rates of uninsurance are higher for Hispanics is true across the board regardless of age," Rupper said. "We know that's a special problem for Hispanics living in our country, and that doesn't go away with aging."

Lack of insurance is an issue because those who don't get preventive care at younger ages for otherwise manageable conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can suffer increasing problems in old age, he said.

In Utah, the nation's youngest state, the Hispanic population is even younger. The median age of Utah's Hispanic population is estimated at 25.3, compared to Utah's overall median age of 30.2, according to the 2005 American Community Survey. The population over age 65 comprises about 8 percent of the state's population, and about 3.3 percent of the Hispanic population.