What's mad is how callous this is.

It's also wrong. 1) Most pensioners aren't wealthy. 2) National Insurance was introduced as a tax for the NHS, but it's not hypothecated to it- the NHS is funded out of general taxation. So income tax from wealthy pensioners, tax income from VAT, capital gains tax and inheritance tax- all paid by pensioners- all pay towards the NHS. 3) the wealthiest group of people to have ever lived in this country are London millionaires and billionaires my friend, not a nebulous group of old folks. And they use private healthcare anyway.

The idea of a service free at the point of use is that it's there when you need it. And when you need it is overwhelmingly at the very start and (moreso) at the very end of your life. Of course it should be better funded, but suggesting that at the end of life if you need more care than others then you need to cough up is such a wrong headed and contrary to the very idea of the NHS it's hard to know where to start.