So I went and read up on them through the link below (note the quote by Paul Ryan, the only Congressman quoted in the whole thing, I believe). Still, you should probably take this with a grain of salt, what with it being based on the one (partisan) article I've read about the issue.

Sounds like they were completely insufficient and wouldn't have done much about the real problem. But then, I suppose a left-leaning think tank like Brookings would say that... they sound credible, though.

Doesn't really seem that way, does it?

Obviously means testing of benefits would help the solvency to some extent - whether in Medicare or in Social Security - but I'm afraid it wouldn't be sufficient even if you could get that passed, not unless you draw the lines for your means testing rather lower than what most people would expect.

If Brookings is right in the way they present those plans, they wouldn't have made much of a difference for the fiscal balance, so not really.

Edit: Forgot the link. Duh.