How would lowering the Medicare age save the system money?

[Warpy]

5. It makes sense when you look beyond the Medicare trust fund

to the larger world out there, a world in which people are being cut off from their jobs with benefits in their mid 50s and are either thrust into the for profit market as individuals (if they've got vast amounts of money) or left without insurance. Most people fall into the latter group.

Such people are costing the whole system a vast amount of money as they are forced to choose between food and taking care of chronic conditions most have developed by their mid 50s and risking needing care when it's gotten really expensive. Savings are depleted and they are being left destitute as they have to pay the going "private patient" rate at the hospitals they end up in, 300% to 500% higher than the rate insurance companies are charged for the same care. In addition, if their resources are inadequate to cover their care, they are then thrust into the Medicaid program, then to Social Security Disability, after which Medicare finally kicks in early, but not in nearly enough time.

And that's if they survive what should have been prevented very cheaply.

The tragedy of all this is a human one, not solely an accounting one. People are unable to afford minimal care that keeps them out of hospitals, then lose every single thing they have when they can't postpone that care any longer because they are deathly ill.

Looking at a trust fund is not telling the whole story here. If all you look at are dollars, you might be a Republican. Looking at the current consequences of not lowering the Medicare age to 55 and being appalled by them makes you a Democrat.