The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC’s) Debt Reduction Task Force released this report suggesting methods for curtailing the national debt.  Among other recommendations, the report suggests increasing cost sharing for Medicare beneficiaries.  The authors propose increasing enrollees’ share of Medicare Part B program costs from 25 to 35 percent and changing traditional Medicare into a “premium support” program in 2018.  Those Medicare changes would limit per beneficiary federal spending increases to 1 percent above the economy’s annual growth rate.

From the executive summary: 

America is the strongest, most prosperous, and most resilient nation in history. However, America’s leadership and greatness, our strength and prosperity, are not guaranteed. We face two huge challenges simultaneously. First, we must recover from the deep recession that has thrown millions out of work, slashed home values and closed businesses across the country. Second, we must take immediate steps to reduce the unsustainable debt that will be driven by the aging of the population, the rapid growth of healthcare costs, exploding interest costs, and the failure of policymakers to limit and prioritize spending.

Full Report: Restoring America’s Future: Reviving the Economy, Cutting Spending and Debt, and Creating a Simple, Pro-Growth Tax System (PDF | 549 KB)

Bipartisan Policy Center. (2010). Restoring America's future: reviving the economy, cutting spending and debt, and creating a simple, pro-growth tax system.