It makes no sense to throw out something that the vast majority of US citizens are satisfied with

Asked to choose among four descriptions of the U.S. healthcare system -- "in a state of crisis," "has major problems," "has minor problems," or "does not have any problems" -- most Americans take a negative view. Nearly three-quarters (73%) say the system is in crisis or has major problems (with the bulk saying major problems), while only 26% discount the issue.

Those comparisons show the depth of Medicare's popularity. According to a national CAHPS survey conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2007, 56 percent of enrollees in traditional fee-for-service Medicare give their "health plan" a rating of 9 or 10 on a 0-10 scale. Similarly, 60 percent of seniors enrolled in Medicare Managed Care rated their plans a 9 or 10. But according to the CAHPS surveys compiled by HHS, only 40 percent of Americans enrolled in private health insurance gave their plans a 9 or 10 rating.