Wednesday, March 5, 2025

WSJ: Means-Testing Medicare, My Letter Back to Them

I wrote a blog that the range of sudden HHS policy changes might feel like a tsunami, based on how the year is starting.  

On cue, here's a piece iin WSJ about "means-testing Medicare."  Kick the top 20% of earners, out of Medicare.   Read all about it:

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/means-testing-medicare-would-do-no-harm-spending-rich-healthcare-d48a7441

Here's my posted reply to the WSJ piece.

  • Means-testing Medicare is much odder than this indicates, and I'm glad comments are open. 
  • First, Medicare Part B and Part D are heavily means testing - earn $150K while getting Medicare and your premium will be $1000 a month, not $200. Part B and D are minimally subsidized today, for higher-earners. 
  • Second, Medicare Part A is the same for everyone. But if you want free markets for "the top 20 percenters," and no government involved, look to having exclusion for pre-existing conditions in 75 year olds, and look to hospitalizations costing $300,000 out of pocket instead of the $30,000 Medicare Part A pays at.
  • -Bruce Quinn
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See other current news about CMS cuts - here.