WASHINGTON -- House leaders have scheduled a vote Thursday on a bill that would eliminate premium increases for Medicare Part B next year.
Democratic leaders said older Americans shouldn't have to pay higher Medicare premiums because they are not expected to get a cost-of-living increase from Social Security.
With no Social Security COLA, the vast majority of Medicare recipients already are exempt from premium increases for Part B, which provides coverage for doctor's visits.
The bill would use $2.8 billion from a Medicare fund to cover the cost of eliminating premium hikes.
(The preceding article was distributed September 24, 2009, by the Associated Press.)
