What does it mean for a social safety net program to be means-tested? If Medicare were transformed into a means-tested program what changes would we expect to see? How would this change affect the cost of the program?

What will be an ideal response?

An ideal response will:
1, Define means-tested programs as those in which only people below a certain income level receive benefits.
2, Describe the effect on Medicare if it were to become a means-tested program. Specifically, such a change would make many Americans ineligible for Medicare, leaving them responsible for paying their own health care expenses. This would be a large expense that would pose a considerable burden on many Americans who had been operating under the assumption that Medicare would continue to provide their health care.
3, This change would drastically decrease the cost of the program by kicking out many of those who currently receive benefits.