With Medicare headed for insolvency in approximately a decade, it would seem that the federal government would gladly accept any offer by individuals to forgo their Medicare benefits willingly and to pay for private health insurance of their choosing.
But that’s not how Washington works.
After all, it would not make Medicare look very good if too many people were to begin taking a pass on its benefits in favor of better private coverage.
Five senior citizens who wanted to buy their own medical insurance sued to have themselves declared ineligible for Medicare benefits.
That would have freed them to pay for and receive full benefits from a private insurer, which will furnish them with only partial benefits so long as they remain Medicare-eligible.