It is time to level the playing field and force private plans to really compete with traditional Medicare.

They say private plans often cost more than traditional Medicare.

Patients have the legal right to return to traditional Medicare if they later become unhappy with their health maintenance organizations.

Moreover, fewer than 100,000 each year have returned to traditional Medicare.

But she said the program's managed care plans still provided more, on average, than traditional Medicare.

That was less than half the estimated $3,142 cost for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, she said.

The bill requires the government to compare the costs of traditional Medicare and the private plans.

Drug coverage could simply have been added to traditional Medicare.

Or will private plans cost more than traditional Medicare?

The idea of giving people a choice between traditional Medicare and private health plans has deep roots.