Obama: Existing health system threatens Medicare

Jul 28 01:56 PM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is telling participants in an online forum on health care that the current system and its skyrocketing costs are a threat to Medicare.

Obama says the Medicare trust fund will be in the red and out of money in a decade unless Washington overhauls the system.

Both houses of Congress are grappling with the issue. In opening remarks to the AARP-sponsored forum, Obama said some of the money that's being spent and doesn't improve people's health could be used to bring down costs.

He said: "We've got to get a better bang for our health care dollar."

AARP is an advocacy group for people over the age of 50.

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