Congress will not act on Medicare "trigger" in 2009-2010

The 111th Congress, which will meet in 2009 and 2010, will not consider anylegislation that would enact reductions in Medicare financing from the Treasury'sgeneral revenues.

Under Sec. 803 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) (PubLNo 108-173),congressional action is "triggered" if more than 45 percent of Medicare fundingin two consecutive years comes from general revenues, as opposed to premiumsand co-payments. The Medicare trustees issued these warnings in 2006 and 2007;under sec. 801(a)(2) of the MMA, the President is required to send legislationto Congress that would specifically reduce the general revenue share of Medicarefunding to below 45 percent.

The congressional action was tucked into H Res. 6, passed on Jan. 6, 2009,which otherwise establishes the rules of the House of Representatives forthe 111th Congress.