HR 1950119th CongressIn Committee

Protect Social Security and Medicare Act

Introduced: Mar 6, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 1950, the Protect Social Security and Medicare Act, would shield existing benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from being cut unless a supermajority (two-thirds) of members present and voting in either chamber approves such action. It creates a high-threshold hurdle for any bill, joint resolution, or amendment that would reduce current SSA or CMS benefits. An explicit exception allows reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) if the reduction is offset by an equal or greater increase in other Medicare payments under Title XVIII. Additionally, the bill requires that any determination about whether a provision would reduce benefits be based exclusively on the Office of the Chief Actuary of the SSA. The bill is labeled the Protect Social Security and Medicare Act and is introduced in the House (sponsored by Rep. Pocan with other co-sponsors) and referred to the Rules Committee. If enacted, it would make it substantially harder for Congress to vote to reduce benefits for Social Security or Medicare recipients, effectively placing a high bar on benefit-cutting proposals.

Key Points

1Supermajority voting requirement: Any bill, joint resolution, or amendment that would reduce existing SSA- or CMS-administered benefits cannot be considered unless two-thirds of Members present and voting approve it.
2Medicare Advantage exception: Reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage plans are allowed only if offset by increases in other Title XVIII Medicare payments equal to or greater than the reduction.
3Actuary-based determinations: Whether a provision would reduce benefits or would have a net effect on benefits is to be determined solely by the Office of the Chief Actuary of the SSA.
4Short title: The measure is titled the Protect Social Security and Medicare Act.
5Introduction and procedural status: Introduced in the House on March 6, 2025, by Rep. Pocan (with Reps. Doggett and Frost as co-sponsors) and referred to the Rules Committee.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare (retirees, disabled individuals, survivors, and general Medicare enrollees) whose current benefits would be protected from easy reductions.Secondary group/area affected: Policymakers and the legislative process, since the bill changes the default threshold for enacting benefit-reducing measures and centralizes benefit-reduction determinations to the SSA Chief Actuary.Additional impacts:- Medicare Advantage program: The bill preserves MA funding in some cases by requiring offsets elsewhere, potentially shaping CMS Part C budgeting and policy decisions.- Budget and reform dynamics: Could constrain future entitlement reforms or cost-saving measures that involve reducing SSA or CMS benefits, potentially affecting fiscal strategy and negotiations.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 18, 2025