'Mediscare': What proposed cuts to Medicare really mean

President Joe Biden has vowed to strike down any law that cuts Medicare spending — but cutting spending can come in many forms.

As Democrats and Republicans continue to accuse each other of the practice, policy experts told the Washington Post's Health 202 newsletter Feb. 13 that it's another round of political "Mediscare."

"All Medicare cuts are not created equal," Larry Levitt, executive vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, told the outlet. "One dollar in reduced Medicare spending can mean very different things depending on how it's done." 

Five proposals to "cut Medicare":

1. Slow the spending growth rate, possible through lower provider payments
2. Raise the eligibility age
3. Increase cost-sharing
4. Raise premiums
5. Sunset federal programs