Letters: Medicare a bigger prize for Congress

The American Health Care Act will take insurance from many of the country’s neediest individuals, along with spikes in their healthcare cost. Some in Congress have their sights set on an even bigger prize — Medicare. The AHCA contains “premium support” vouchers and an age tax on requiring older citizens to pay more out of pocket for health insurance.

One million seniors in South Carolina who are on Medicare could be forced to buy health care coverage on the open market with a voucher subsidy. The remaining cost would be passed along to the wallet of the purchaser. We have already paid for this health care coverage (Medicare Part A) during our working years by having the cost deducted from our paychecks. Now we would be forced to pay for it again out of our retirement income.

Please let Congress know that “premium support” vouchers and the “age tax” are a bad idea. This act will only increase costs for seniors when they can least afford it. There are better ways of containing rising health care costs than stealing from those who can least afford it.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Letters: Medicare a bigger prize for Congress."