Recent legislative proposals have called for creating a Medicare-like health care plan that adults ages 50 to 64 could buy into, but research suggests that the rationale for such a plan was more compelling before ACA implementation.
In a December report, an Urban Institute research team led by Bowen Garrett used the Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model to analyze a base buy-in option and seven alternatives for people ages 50 and older. They found that a Medicare buy-in policy’s potential to substantially expand health insurance coverage is limited given the subsidies already provided under the Affordable Care Act.
A newly released brief considers the rationale for implementing a Medicare buy-in policy alongside the ACA. By taking advantage of lower provider payment rates, buy-in plans can increase the value of coverage and lower out-of-pocket spending for beneficiaries. With modest additional federal spending, buy-in policies can also reduce national health spending.
