Sen. Harry Reid’s attempt to salvage ObamaCare and his own political career depends on nobody noticing that his Medicare buy-in scheme is the worst of all worlds. But doctors and hospital groups have figured it out, and they are opposed. Citing a New York Times article, Tevi Troy points out that it is really not a good deal for those purported beneficiaries (provided they can still find doctors willing to take Medicare rates):

A family earning $54,000 — a little more than the median household income — that wanted to buy the nationwide Blue Cross Blue Shield policy through the [Federal Employees Health Benefits Program]-like mechanism, would have monthly premiums over $825.  And buying into Medicare would cost $7,600 for an individual or $15,200 for a couple.  In fact, according to former Medicare trustee Marilyn Moon, private health-plan premiums could be cheaper than Medicare’s.

Older voters may not understand all the particulars, but they have figured out it is a bad deal. Resurgent Republic’s poll reveals that “voters 55 and older opposed health care reform being debated by congress by 48-39%, with intensity running strongly against the legislation’s proponents (40% strongly opposed versus 25% strongly support).” And unlike the AARP, which seems to have dozed off at the wheel, over 80 percent of seniors oppose the cuts in Medicare by over $400 billion. And these are the people who vote reliably even in non-presidential election years. Overall, support for ObamaCare is cratering.

If the general public, seniors, the New York Times, doctors, and hospitals can figure out what a rotten deal this is, can the senators? Perhaps they don’t care and think indifference to the voters and to common sense will be rewarded at the polls in 2010. But if so, they must think the voters very dim.