Raising Medicare's eligibility age could become a key component of a deal between the White House and Congress to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, but critics say raising the age would shift costs to beneficiaries and merely move spending from Medicare to other parts of the health care system.

 

Raising the age as part of a fiscal cliff agreement is gaining momentum because it would substantially reduce Medicare spending, would be simple to implement, and would be easier on beneficiaries financially than some other proposals, such as charging higher copayments for services, sources tell BNA.