Study: Increasing Medicare age would shift costs

A study released today concluded that employers and younger people would end up paying more for their health insurance if Medicare's eligibility age were raised. However, the age change would also result in billions of dollars in taxpayer savings.

The Associated Press: Cost Shift Seen In Raising Medicare Age To 67
Employers and even some younger people would pay more for health insurance if lawmakers raise the eligibility age for Medicare, a study to be released Tuesday concludes. The findings suggest that the emerging debate over Medicare's future matters not only to seniors and those nearing retirement, but to a broad cross-section of Americans. The report from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation shows that federal taxpayers would save billions if the Medicare eligibility age, currently 65, is increased by two years. But people ages 65 and 66, employers — along with states, Medicare recipients and even some younger families — would see ripple effects that add to their costs (Alonso-Zaldivar, 3/29).

Kaiser Health News: Study Finds Raising Medicare Age Would Shift Costs
Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey reports: "Raising Medicare's eligibility age by two years would save the federal government $7.6 billion but those costs — and more — would shift to others, according to a report out today" (Carey, 3/29).