Reply #42: The suggestion is to stop paying them more than Medicare [View All]

[Ms. Toad]

part A - not to stop paying them at all. Currently, they are paying private companies more than they pay under Medicare Part A. The suggestion is to stop paying extra - not to stop permitting private insurance to be paid for at all under Medicare Part C. In other words, the same structure they are proposing for the exchange - if you are subsidized, you can choose to spend that subsidy either for the public option (like Part A) or the private options (like Part C). You just don't get MORE government money to spend for private insurance than you get to spend for the public option - you get the same amount (if you are subsidized) and you can spend it where you choose.