This is the third in a series on efforts to reduce the safety net, including entitlement benefits. This posting looks at Medicare, which despite Trump’s claims to the contrary, is apparently on the chopping block along with other “welfare” programs. Medicare is the federal health insurance program for all Americans age 65 and over, some younger residents with disabilities, and persons with end stage renal disease. It is one of the largest health insurance programs on the globe, covering more than 56 million Americans in 2015, at a cost of more than $267 billion. Medicare spending is expected to increase on average by more than 7 percent between 2016 and 2026.