Edward Zelinsky, Morris and Annie Trachman Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University, has proposed a means of restoring a measure of fiscal soundness to the Medicare program in his post entitled ”Bend The Cost Curve: Raise the Medicare Eligibility Age to 67″.
He observes:
As Congress debates national health care reform, there is a growing disparity between the rhetoric of cost reduction (which everyone nominally favors) and the reality of electoral politics (which inhibits elected officials from alienating constituents by actually reducing costs). Indeed, there appears to be an inverse correlation between the vociferousness of Congress’ claim to be bending the medical cost curve and Congress’ willingness to undertake the practical steps to control medical outlays.
The post may be found on the OUP blog which provides ongoing scholarly comment on a variety of issues, including healthcare policy. (See, e.g., today’s post ” Understanding “Broad Partisan Support” for Health-care Reform” by Elvin Limm.)