Consider program for early Medicare

Congress should consider passing a bill to allow 64-year-old citizens to buy into a pre-Medicare plan.

It would be optional to enroll. Once enrolled, the person would stay on the plan until 65. The cost should be revenue neutral and scored by the Congressional Budget Office. Premiums should be adjusted annually to assure that no additional costs accrue to the federal government.

The fund could be separate from other Medicare funds but still administered by Medicare with many of the same rules. Private insurance companies should be allowed to sell supplemental plans including Part D and Advantage plans. There could be a sunset provision that would take effect in about five years unless Congress extended it.

Benefits include very likely lower individual insurance costs for 64-year-old people. Insurance companies would share medical costs with the federal government in a national pool for persons aged 64 as they do with persons over 64.

This may be especially good for citizens in less-populated states. Businesses could possibly lower their insurance costs if they choose to participate, thereby retaining productive experienced 64-year-old employees at lower cost. If this pre-Medicare plan is not successful, it would expire with the sunset provision and people would again have to wait until they're 65 for Medicare.

Keep the bill simple and as close as possible to current Medicare rules so as not to cause confusion when people transition to traditional Medicare at 65.

Please don't dismiss this idea on purely ideological grounds. I believe that the overall results will show increased benefits to the majority of 64-year-old citizens and businesses of our great country.

William Mihalik

Hoffman Estates