Openmind
Well-Known Member
To be eligible for Medicare, you have to be 65 or older. It's not means tested, only age tested. Medicare is not free, but it is highly subsidized and so a lot cheaper than private insurance. It is paid for by a payroll tax that is supposed to only be used for that purpose, but, like most taxes, goes into the general fund.
IMO, the insurance lobby allows the government to continue Medicare as the industry doesn't want to insure seniors anyway. They would fight tooth and nail... no, make that they do fight tooth and nail against any sort of Medicare for all idea. That's the real reason we haven't joined the rest of the civilized world with a universal health care system.
You are correct, although some people are eligible for medicare prior the age of 65. . .if they are disabled before the age of 3 (i.e, the population of developmentally disabled people I worked with) and at least one of their parent has been paying into social security.