Lowering the Medicare eligibility age one year each calendar year will slowly phase out the complex and costly health care insurance and billing systems now in place. Replacing these complex systems will reduce the costs of healthcare in the country by a large percentage without reducing quality or access to care,.
Medicare is a highly efficient and cost reducing health care option. To help fund this change, if you decide to join prior to some predetermined retirement age, you would pay a means tested premium. This would likely be lower than private or even employer supported private health insurance. This premium could be phased out as the medicare fund balance stabilizes. Please read the Time article BITTER PILL for cost details.