A bill to express the sense of the Senate that Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher program.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 12, 2011

Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher or premium-support program; (2) deficit reduction should not be achieved by simply passing on the costs of health care to Medicare beneficiaries; (3) guaranteed Medicare benefits should be preserved; (4) medical decisions should be made by seniors and their doctors, not insurance companies; and (5) deficit reduction should be achieved by lowering health care costs through delivery system reforms.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT] · D–MT

Committees

Finance Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Apr 12, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Apr 12, 2011
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Apr 12, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.789 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.789, 112th Congress: A bill to express the sense of the Senate that Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher program.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/789

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-04-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s789/BILLS-112s789is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:20:44Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.789 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.789 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.789, 112th Congress: A bill to express the sense of the Senate that Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher program.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/789

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-04-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s789/BILLS-112s789is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:20:44Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.789 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.789 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.789, 112th Congress: A bill to express the sense of the Senate that Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher program.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/789

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-04-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s789/BILLS-112s789is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:20:44Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.789 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.789 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.789, 112th Congress: A bill to express the sense of the Senate that Medicare should not be dismantled and turned into a voucher program.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/789

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-04-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s789/BILLS-112s789is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:20:44Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.789 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.