"The President's just-released legislation to respond to the Medicare Trustees' 'funding warning' places unnecessary burdens on beneficiaries while failing to even mention the most egregious assault on Medicare's solvency: the average 113% overpayment made to private Medicare Advantage plans," said Judith Stein, Executive Director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

Moreover, the law that required the legislation creates an arbitrary trigger for legislative action related to the portion of Medicare spending that comes from general revenues. It establishes Medicare as a closed funding system, reliant primarily on payroll taxes and premiums, both of which are more regressive than the income taxes that produce general revenues. Spending from general revenues for Medicare is no different from spending from general revenues for education, housing, defense or veterans' programs, all of which are 100% financed with general revenues. The real issue concerning Medicare's future is how much the program will cost and whether those costs will fit into the federal budget, matters largely determined by the political will of Congress and the American people. In other words, whether health insurance for older people and people with disabilities through Medicare is viewed as a priority by Americans.

"Congress should repeal the trigger law and focus its attention on stabilizing Medicare through means that don't unduly burden beneficiaries, starting with eliminating Medicare Advantage overpayments," said Stein.

Ms. Stein is available for comment.