Seniors 55 years and older are now expected to be exempt from the Medicare overhaul in Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget, several GOP sources said on Tuesday.
The 2012 Republican vice presidential candidate had wanted to increase the threshold to 56,
Politico reports.
In his overhaul, the House Budget Committee chairman had long sought to transform Medicare from its current fee-for-service format to one whereby the government gives seniors limited subsidies to buy private insurance.
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But no one within a decade of the Medicare eligibility age of 65 would have been affected by Ryan’s planned overhaul.
This winter, however, Ryan began examining whether to increase the age exemption to 56, which would have helped prepare Republicans for more drastic future measures to save Medicare.
But most GOP moderates would have balked at that change, having told voters for years that those 55 and older would not have been affected.
Ryan’s office declined to comment to Politico on any possible age change.
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