The mere suggestion of Medicare cuts will kill this bill.

That's why it needs more math. Some are saying that savings are expected if more $ is channeled to primary rather than specialist care. Certainly that's the experience abroad. Others point out the the $500B "saving" in Medicare is a small fraction of the >30% currently attributed to waste in that article you posted, so if people truly believe in this waste, surely they'd expect savings to be made?

I agree with you that if promoters try to debate against bumper-sticker populists, they'll lose. Truly the public has a short memory: 6 weeks ago bumper-stickerists were proclaiming that reforms would reduce choice when even the staunchest critic is now forced to agree that actually there is little choice today and any of the proposals would improve choice... but does the public lose faith in the bumper-stickerists for being diametrically wrong? No, they latch onto the next soundbite and fret over it.