House Budget Panel Considers Higher Age for Medicare Transition

[AceWheeler]

11. The Irony Is

Folks are living longer, putting a higher financial burdern on Medicare (and Social Security). They are living longer due to advance in medicine, including life prolonging treatment and care (in some cases cure). Older folks can afford this treatment, because they have Medicare. So...raise the age to start Medicare can reduce costs by reducing (a) the number of years older folks draw on Medicare, and (b) the number of people on Medicare (some will die before Medicare starts, because they can't afford insurance and the costs of treatment for life threatening ailments).

And while we're at it. The notion of raising the age for Social Security has a similar problem. Yes, people are living longer, but that does NOT necessarily mean they can work longer. It depends on the nature of the work and what sorts of older-age physical and mental problems emerge for them.