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As the buzz around a single-payer health system based around Medicare grows, a former Department of Health and Human Services secretary says it’s crucial to keep eyes on a more pressing problem: Medicare is running out of money.
The policy conversation should focus on ensuring Medicare’s long-term sustainability and addressing its impending insolvency. The Medicare Hospital Insurance Fund, or Part A, could run out of money by as early as 2026.
“We ought to deal with the reality of the mess we have before we begin to expand,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt said he foresees Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D as guides for the future evolution of health policy. Success in those programs prove that arming consumers with information and choices can drive a more effective and competitive system…