President Obama Publicly Supports Means-Testing Medicare

[Still a Democrat]

President Obama indicated today that he would be open to means-testing Medicare – requiring wealthier seniors to pay more -- as part of a compromise plan to reduce the deficit.

“I've said that means-testing on Medicare, meaning people like myself,…you can envision a situation where, for somebody in my position, me having to pay a little bit more on premiums or co-pays or things like that would be appropriate,” the president said in response to a question from ABC News. “That could make a difference.”

The president said in any negotiation “we should make sure that current beneficiaries, as much as possible, are not affected, but we should look at what can we do in the out years so that, over time, some of these programs are more sustainable.”

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http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/...icare.html

[jaxx]

I don't have a problem with the rich paying more.

[Born_A_Truman]

Part B premiums are already means tested.

[Ikonoklast]

Works for me, if I have more, I should pay more.

No problem.

[Treestar]

If this is what is meant by "cut" then I am fine with it.

[Eponine]

To be honest, they should have done that a long time ago.

[sandnsea]

I have no problem with this kind of means-testing. I consider means-testing to be an income qualification process where people can be eliminated completely. A progressive premium proposal is completely different, no problem with that at all. Like BAT said, Part B is already means-tested, I think Part D is too. That's fine.