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On CBS’s Face the Nation, Harry Smith asked DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz the following question (video):

Smith: ... the Trustees [of the Medicare program] also said a couple of Fridays ago that this thing (Medicare) could be insolvent in the next decade. Doesn’t something really dramatic have to happen, and as the Congressman suggested, Republicans have a plan, do the Democrats have a plan?

Conforming exactly to the Democratic narrative, Wasserman-Schultz provided no inkling of what a Democratic plan might be, but she did attack:

Wasserman Schultz: Like I said, the Republicans have a plan to end Medicare as we know it. What they would do is they would take the people who are younger than 55 years old today and tell them You know what? You’re on your own. Go and find private health insurance in the healthcare insurance market, we’re going to throw you to the wolves and allow insurance companies to deny you coverage and drop you for pre-existing conditions. We’re going to give you X amount of dollars and you figure it out.

It might be worth parsing Wasserman-Schultz’ response:

“Like I said, the Republicans have a plan to end Medicare as we know it.”

Actually, Medicare will end as we know in little more than a decade—on its own. The Republican plan, however flawed, is an honest attempt to allow Medicare to continue for those who are 55 and younger. By the way, for those who are 55 and older, nothing changes under the Republican plan. However, if the system is allowed to go bankrupt in 2024, it will end for everyone. It appears that Wasserman-Schultz is unable to understand that harsh reality and unwilling to propose a solution because in her view, it’s politically effective to demagogue the issue and frighten seniors.

“You’re on your own. Go and find private health insurance in the healthcare insurance market, we’re going to throw you to the wolves and allow insurance companies to deny you coverage and drop you for pre-existing conditions.”

But wait, that’s exactly what Medicare recipients do right now for 20 percent of their coverage. It’s called Supplemental Coverage, paid for by the senior and purchased from the hated “private health insurance market.” And guess what? No one is denied coverage and no one is excluded because of pre-existing conditions. In fact, insurers compete and the individual—not the government—can pick and choose the price/performance that is best for him/her.

As I understand it, the Republican plan would effectively expand Supplemental Coverage to 100 percent of coverage for those under 55, but would subsidize the cost. Insurance companies would compete using government-mandated coverages.

We’re going to give you X amount of dollars and you figure it out.

Why is it that the DNC chair is so worried about allowing seniors freedom of choice? Why is it that the freedom to “figure out” what is best for you is somehow allowing yourself to be “thrown to the wolves?” Why do Ms. Wasserman-Schultz and many in her party believe that doing nothing will magically make the looming Medicare bankruptcy go away?

The sad thing is that there’s no point in asking her. Harry Smith tried it and got a content-free answer. Maybe content isn’t important to the Democrats in Congress, but I can guarantee you that it’ll become very important to every senior in 2024.