And some people want everyone to have to use this system. Our private insurance system in the USA is far from perfect but it's a lot better than the government system. I have never once had an issue with my employer provided insurance covering any care that a doctor feels is necessary.
The application process parent is talking about is Medicaid, not Medicare.
Medicare is pretty ironclad, because the recipients are elderly and vote. Medicaid recipients tend to be marginalized and high need, so they’re used as a punching bag by local governments in states where that’s a good way to score political points.
This particular system wasn't nationwide, it was a system that the state of Tennesee paid 400 million dollars to Deloitte for. Conveniently, Tennesee is one of those states filled with people who think "Government bad" and gets tons of tax dollars from states like California and New York at the end of the day.
You don't have to move to Medicare if you do not want to - you can continue with all the private insurance your employer offers or you can afford, or you can 'self insure'.
I dread the day I have to move to Medicare.