#means-testing

[room-where-it-happens]

Tldr: Universal programs (or at least gradual phasing out of benefits) > means testing with giant cliffs in most situations

James Medlock on Twitter

“https://t.co/J94bX5aAio”

[complianceconsultant]

Labour to consider benefit cuts for wealthy pensioners

Labour leader Ed Miliband said his party is considering means testing the winter fuel allowance as part of its policy review.

View Post

[punditwire]

Means-Tested Medicare Accelerates Down Track by Jim Jaffe

Rich people have paid more for Medicare coverage since the program began in 1966. Subsequent changes have regularly increased the extra amount those with high incomes must pay for coverage. That history often seems totally forgotten in today’s Medicare reform debate about whether the program should be means-tested so as to require upper-income people to pay more.

In fact, that’s been a basic component of the program from the start, which makes the current debate so distracting and confusing. The real question is how much extra the rich should pay.

Read More »

[shortformblog]

Obama puts Medicare means-testing on the table for debt limit compromise

Medicare Means-testing on the way? President Obama is eying this common Republican policy idea as a means to a big debt limit deal. As the White House was careful to point out, for the benefit of a liberal base dim on imposing costs on low-income recipients, the Affordable Care Act has already resulted in slightly higher premiums for couples earning over $170,000, or singles earning $85,000 — his ideal would be to raise these further, to "modestly higher premiums." The question is, would it work? The GOP has been abandoning their own policy proposals when Obama gives them a thumbs up since the health care debate; modest as this is, and we don't see why that would change. source

Read ShortFormBlog • Follow