It sounds like AARP likes the plan here.

AARP on Medicare and Health Care Reform
Source: AARP.org | August 2009


Medicare provides stable health coverage for 45 million Americans. You can’t be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition, you get to choose your doctor, and you have access to prescription drug coverage.

But everything about Medicare isn’t perfect. Today, on average, people on Medicare spend about 30 percent of their incomes on out-of-pocket health costs—including premiums for supplemental coverage. These costs are six times greater than for people with employer coverage. And, they’ve seen their Medicare premiums double since 2000.

While millions of people in Medicare have seen their retirement savings shrink because of the recession, their health costs have continued to rise and their drug costs have continued to soar. While many people may think health care reform is just about coverage for the uninsured, it’s actually about fixing what’s broken about our health care system—and improving Medicare is a critical part.

You may have heard by now that changes to Medicare will be part of health care reform. Why does Medicare need to be improved? Because waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiencies are not only costing you more but are undermining the Medicare program for you today, and ultimately for your children and grandchildren. Unless Congress takes action now, Medicare will not be able to effectively serve you or future beneficiaries.

While change is never easy, there are common-sense solutions that will help put Medicare on more stable ground so it can save money and continue to provide good care for older Americans.

Strengthening and Improving Medicare

We need to make sure any changes to Medicare protect your health and financial security, and there are some areas where we can improve your care and put Medicare on more stable financial ground.

These improvements include:

* Closing the Part D coverage gap, or “doughnut hole,” where beneficiaries are responsible for all of their prescription drug costs;
* Ensuring Medicare pays doctors fairly so you can keep the doctor of your choice or more easily find a doctor if you don’t have one;
* Lowering out-of-pocket costs for preventive services;
* Preventing costly and avoidable—and even dangerous—hospital readmissions;
* Cracking down on fraud and abuse, including aggressively pursuing those who fraudulently bill Medicare;
* Eliminating wasteful spending, such as by reducing overpayments to insurance companies;
* Improving the coordination of care for people with chronic health conditions; and
* Making it easier for low-income seniors to get help with paying Medicare premiums and other health expenses.

---->>>>Myths about Medicare

Throughout the debate, people may try to scare you about health care reform and what it means for Medicare. They may say things like “health care reform is going to cut Medicare benefits.” Don’t be misled, and don’t let them frighten you.
None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut your Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services. In fact, savings found in Medicare will be used to fill in gaps in the program, such as closing the “doughnut hole.”

We’re committed to ensuring that health care reform improves the quality of your care, lowers the amount of money you pay out of your own pocket, and makes sure doctors are paid fairly so they continue to treat you and other people in Medicare. At the same time, we believe some of the savings can be invested in health care reforms that strengthen the system for everyone, including those in Medicare.

Less money out of your pocket, the doctor of your choice, and better care—that’s what AARP is fighting for and that’s what health care reform will mean to people in Medicare.

We’re Fighting for You

While AARP recognizes and supports changes to Medicare that improve your care and strengthen the program, we will fight with the strength of our 40 million members against any legislative proposals that will cut benefits, raise out-of-pocket costs or reduce access to care.

The debate on health care reform is likely to last for many months. During that time, AARP will be ready and willing to provide you with information about what health care reform means for the Medicare program and what it means for you.

For more information about how the proposed changes to Medicare will impact you, call toll free 1-866-AARP-449 (1-866-227-7449).

http://www.aarp.org/health/articles/aarp_on_medicare_and_health_care_reform.html

Myth: Health care reform will hurt Medicare.

Fact: None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.

Fact: Health care reform will lower prescription drug costs for people in the Medicare Part D coverage gap or "doughnut hole" so they can get better afford the drugs they need.

Fact: Health care reform will protect seniors' access to their doctors and reduce the cost of preventive services so patients stay healthier.

Fact: Health care reform will reduce costly, preventable hospital readmissions, saving patients and Medicare money.

Fact: Rather than weaken Medicare, health care reform will strengthen the financial status of the Medicare program.

Bottom Line: For people in Medicare, health care reform is about lowering prescription drug costs for people in the "doughnut hole", keeping the doctor of your choice, improving the quality of care, and eliminating billions in waste that is causing poor care and medical errors.


http://aarp.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Myths_vs_Facts

I have posted many times what cuts to medicare will do...Seems no one is worried when in fact WE ALL should be worried!!!!!

DONT MESS WITH MEDICARE PERIOD!!!!!!!!

While AARP recognizes and supports changes to Medicare that improve your care and strengthen the program, we will fight with the strength of our 40 million members against any legislative proposals that will cut benefits, raise out-of-pocket costs or reduce access to care.

I can't understand why anyone on this forum and in their right mind would support cuts to Medicare.

Fact: No one has yet explained how they are going to pay for this.

It's been talked about all week.. what news are you watching? And Obama explained it 3 times at town halls and today on the radio.

I have more important things to do than watch some troglodytes trying to explain the inexplicable.

The real answer is that he has no clue how he is going to "actually" pay for it. If you call printing money and increasing the debt, "paying" for it..

Well then... I suppose you must be correct..