This happened fast! From Congressional Quarterly:
The House on Thursday passed a bill that would prevent Medicare premiums from rising sharply for about 11 million senior citizens.
The vote was 406-18.
The legislation would block a big increase in Medicare Part B premiums for the affected seniors, who account for about 27 percent of those enrolled in the health insurance program for the elderly and disabled.
They are in jeopardy of a steep increase in their monthly premiums because of complexities in federal law and the likelihood that Social Security recipients won't get a bump in their benefits next year to cover the cost of the premium increase. ...
The Senate is expected to act on the premium bill soon.
The bill would cost $2.8 billion and would be offset by reducing the Medicare Improvement Fund, which the Health and Human Services Department uses to make improvements to Medicare Part A and Part B.
That was fast. First I saw of such a bill was yesterday on Huff PO or some such blog, but today, it's out of the House. Then, it meets up with Dodd's Senate bill giving seniors $250. Something tells me that this bill will meet with detailed scrutiny in conference. Too simple by half.
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