This seems hard to understand. I wonder what the reasoning behind this would be. Is it because older people are seen to be contributing less to the economy and paying less or tax in their old age?

That seems to be a bit stupid if true as these people contributed all their life.

Maybe an Australian Medicare system would work in the USA. Medicare does work, but like I said it is open to abuse and people who have contributed nothing to it often still benefit from it.

Possibly your health care system is a systematic failure, just like the Australian taxation system is a systematic failure and unfair.

And, BTW, why do these premiums have to be so expensive? Seems ridiculous.