Brilliant New Idea From Democrats: Forget The Public Option, Let’s Expand Medicare And Medicaid

Well, they don’t really want to forget the “public option.” The Democrats backing this are thinking that an expansion of Medicare and Medicaid would be a compromise. But, frankly, I’m not so sure that it wouldn’t be worse than the “public option.”

Senate Democratic liberals are seeking expansion of two large federal programs, Medicare and Medicaid, in exchange for dropping a government-sold insurance option from health care legislation sought by President Barack Obama, several lawmakers said Monday.
Under the potential trade-off with party moderates, near-retirees beginning at age 55 or 60 who lack affordable insurance would be permitted to purchase coverage under Medicare, which generally provides medical care beginning at 65. Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor, would be open to all comers under 300 percent of poverty, or slightly over $66,000 for a family of four.

Medicare is bankrupt. Medicaid is bankrupt. Earlier this year it was reported that in order to pay for the unfunded liabilities in Medicare and Social Security would require an 81% tax hike. These programs are teetering on the edge of collapse, and we’re going to expand the number of people who qualify for it?