Raising Medicare Premiums For Wealthy "Likely" To Be In Budget Deal

The AP (12/20, Alonso-Zaldivar) reports on a proposal "likely to be part of any budget deal," as both President Barack Obama and Republicans support it. The idea, often referred to as means-testing, would "expand a current, little-known law so more retirees the government considers well-off are required to pay higher Medicare premiums." The idea "is to continue broadening the reach of income-based Medicare premiums introduced under former President George W. Bush and later expanded by Obama's health care law," and it could raise "$20 billion or more over 10 years." Still, the article notes that "it could come as a shock to many seniors who will have to pay the higher premiums even though they consider themselves solidly middle-class, and by no means wealthy.