Stimulus bill - COBRA extensions + subsidies

[lets-retire]

I believe if they do allow the buy ins for Medicare, people would see that it is not much cheaper than private insurance and complain loudly. The buy-ins would then become subsidized and de facto Medicare coverage for people it was never intended to cover. When the government starts to offer the subsidies I think private insurance would stop providing coverage for those people. Similar to how a private disability insurance requires the recipient to apply for SSDI and then subtracts any SSDI payments amounts from their payments.

 

[OAG]

Not to mention the Medical Insurance Lobby becoming unglued!

 

[A Visitor]

When the government starts to offer the subsidies I think private insurance would stop providing coverage for those people.

And maybe employers as well? They would be incented to give employees the money to buy the cheaper coverage on their own...

 

[samclem]

Rather than being a "gap filler" until socialized medicine/universal care/etc is enacted, I think this is likely the actual piecemeal enactment of the plan (whether that is the Administration's goal or not). A new block of 55-65 YO enrollees, then employers stop offering coverage, subsidies for these folks due to the high costs, then growing pressure to allow younger folks in (to help spread the costs by allowing younger, healthier people into the government plan). Tah Dah! We have arrived at nirvana!