Summary

Requires a two‑thirds vote of members present and voting in either chamber before Congress can even consider any bill, joint resolution, or amendment that would reduce an existing benefit administered by the Social Security Administration or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid). This supermajority requirement applies to taking up the measure, not to final passage. Any judgment about whether a proposal would reduce or change benefits must rely solely on the determination of the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Chief Actuary. There is a narrow exception for cuts to Medicare Advantage plan payments when they are fully offset by equal or greater increases to other Medicare payments under title XVIII.

Key Points

• Requires a two‑thirds vote to consider, not pass, measures that would reduce SSA- or CMS‑run benefits.
• Covers bills, joint resolutions, and amendments in both the House and the Senate.
• Relies solely on SSA’s Chief Actuary to determine if a proposal reduces or changes benefits.
• Creates a specific exception for Medicare Advantage payment cuts if fully offset by increases elsewhere in Medicare (title XVIII).
• Targets benefit reductions across Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
• Does not change tax law, authorize new programs, or appropriate funds.
• Makes benefit‑cutting legislation harder to advance procedurally.
• Encourages neutral or offsetting Medicare policy shifts instead of net cuts.

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