Obamacare's reviled Medicare cuts have turned out better than expected

While the new Obamacare insurance marketplaces have been plagued by dysfunction, an existing coverage program curtailed by the health care law appears to be working quite well. In fact, it's even more attractive to consumers than before reforms put in place by the Affordable Care Act. Back in 2009 and 2010, one of the harshest criticisms of President Obama's health care law was that it would hurt seniors. The law's $700 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years would deprive seniors of benefits and choices, critics said. Of particular concern was the plan to cut more than $100 billion out of a quasi-governmental program called Medicare Advantage, which allows seniors to get government-funded private insurance plans in place of traditional Medicare.