We got Medicare because the insurance industry refused to write policies for people over 60, no matter how healthy they were. The main thing it did was make sure the surviving spouse wasn't left on the street with nothing and that parents were able at least to leave their house to their kids.

Ryan doesn't get it because he's young and stupid and doesn't know that insurance companies won't insure anyone who might cost them money. Trump is just stupid.

subsidies/vouchers for enrolling in a private Medicare plan.

That is very similar to what we have now where a Medicare beneficiary has a choice -- go into the traditional Medicare program or voluntarily select a Medicare Advantage Plan. There are some "advantages" to the Medicare Advantage Plans and over 30% of beneficiaries select those private plans offered by Humana, United, Blue Cross, Cigna, non-profit Kaiser, etc.

If -- and it's a big "if" -- the government maintains adequate voucher/subsidies comparable to what we have now and the ability to switch back to the traditional plan, it might work. Again, the "if's" are very important. But, I don't think we are doing seniors a service by scaring the heck out of them by implying Medicare will be phased out. From what I've heard so far -- and god knows that can change quickly -- it's a tweak with some incentives to for patients to select managed care. And, No, I don't trust GOPers. But I expect Democrats to ride herd on GOPers proposals and let us know when things might be headed in the wrong direction. Right now, GOPers want to change -- even if just massaging things so it looks like they've made improvements -- to both Medicare and Obamacare so that they won't be so closely identified with Democrats. Not sure that has to be a bad thing, although it probably will.

do almost all the Medicare administration, except for passing laws and writing regulations. If you are in traditional Medicare and go to a doctor, the doctor files the claim with a private insurance company's subsidiary set up to handle Medicare in certain parts of the country. That subsidiary answers beneficiary questions, handles appeals, decides whether medical services are covered under the law, etc. They write a check to the doctor, audit doctors, etc. It's been that way since inception of Medicare.

If you elect Medicare Advantage, you are essentially covered by a private insurance company operating under Medicare requirements as far as services offered, etc. It's been that way since 1998 or so. Again, 30% of Medicare beneficiaries say "I think the Advantage Plan offers more than traditional Medicare with a supplemental policy and separate drug coverage."

mirror of a Administration. Yes,Ronnie the Cowboy,remember the Number of Bankruptcies during that reign of terror,many of us lost more than one job during that eight year of destruction. Funny how people seem to forget how they were effected.

All this so called savings will transfer to the 1% club via Tax off sets. Next we will see some convoluted Voucher System that looses value with every passing day. Remember the Koch Brothers have created Medical Service Business designed with this sole purpose in mind.

They're after social security privatization most of all. Then destroy ACA enough to make the base happy and Obama's legacy looking bad for 2020