Medicare part B is already means tested!!

Reader comment on: More on Ryan's Path to Prosperity

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Apr 5, 2011 16:38

No one seems to realize that part B of medicare (about 35%+ of the total) is already means tested, with incomes above 330k paying the whole freight. Looking at traditional Medicare, part A the part paid by the Tax costs 454/month if you did not pay in long enough, while part B at the upper income limit is 326/month (part B pays physicians lab tests outside the hospital durable medical equipment etc). This is because part B is paid out of general revenues. (Not often mentioned that a good bit of medicare comes from general revenue). Partly this is because in the mid 1960s outside of hospital not a lot could be done for folks. It should also be noted that SS does have a sort of means test in that if you have other income of over 34k and single you pay income tax on the social security. All these facts get ignored by the talking heads because the don't want to confuse people with facts, facts are of course the enemy of TRUTH!!

Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing.

Other reader comments on this item

Comment on this item