See the attached article from the Minnesota Senior Federation: 

HOUSE PASSES MEDICARE BILL DESPITE VETO THREAT

Because of your calls and emails the House of Representatives today passed legislation which will prevent a 10.6  percent Medicare payment cut to doctors scheduled to take place July 1, improve Medicare coverage of preventive and mental health services and eliminate enrollment barriers for low income programs. HR.6331 passed 355 to 59, more than the two-thirds needed to override a veto.

A similar bill was presented to the Senate earlier this month but failed to overcome procedural hurdles. The successful House vote will likely force a new  Senate vote before the July 4 recess.

HR.6331 ends Medicare’s discriminatory treatment of the mentally ill. The bill also aligns the asset test for Medicare Savings Programs (MSP), which pay premiums and medical costs for low income people with Medicare, with the criteria for the full Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help) levels. Together with provisions that require data sharing between states, which administer MSP, and the Social Security Administration, which runs Extra Help, the legislation, if passed, would raise historically low enrollment levels in MSP.

These benefit improvements, along with new restrictions proposed on Medicare private health plans, has prompted a veto threat from the Bush administration. The only member of the Minnesota delegation not voting in favor of HR. 6331, was Representative Michele Bachmann.

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 443

(Democrats in roman; Republicans in italic; Independents underlined)

      H R 6331      2/3 YEA-AND-NAY      24-Jun-2008       

      QUESTION:  On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
      BILL TITLE: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act

Lee Graczyk
Director of Public Policy
Minnesota Senior Federation
1885 University Avenue - Suite 190
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-783-5028

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