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<dc:title>115 HR 4094 IH: Medicare-X Choice Act of 2017</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2017-10-23</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">115th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 4094</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20171023">October 23, 2017</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="H001038">Mr. Higgins of New York</sponsor> (for himself, <cosponsor name-id="L000557">Mr. Larson of Connecticut</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="C001069">Mr. Courtney</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="S000185">Mr. Scott of Virginia</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="O000170">Mr. O'Rourke</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="P000598">Mr. Polis</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HIF00">Committee on Energy and Commerce</committee-name>, and in addition to the Committee on <committee-name committee-id="HWM00">Ways and Means</committee-name>, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned</action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To establish a public health plan.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H57D13A94A19E45F0834D20B01D30C1BB" style="OLC"> 
<section id="H54018C63C7A14F1282148DF2E3EBBD1C" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Medicare-X Choice Act of 2017</short-title></quote>.</text></section> <section id="HD2F88647F1F04C1E9472D4994228292E"><enum>2.</enum><header>Establishment and administration of a public health plan</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Social Security Act is amended by adding at the end the following new title:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7E41FE330DDC44B688077C9EBDC89085" style="OLC">
<title id="H3FF6A4793DE6469580D52760CC727040" style="OLC"><enum>XXII</enum><header>Medicare Exchange Health Plan</header>
<section id="H6B6CF0706E9648199DEA3CBDF45B8D26"><enum>2201.</enum><header>Establishment</header>
<subsection id="HD813D86E93FE4470B25F0A1F2E42AED6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment of plan</header>
<paragraph id="H9BB2DE8AB52742819F3B54E051873E58"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a coordinated and low-cost health plan, to be known as the <quote>Medicare Exchange health plan</quote> (referred to in this section as the <quote>health plan</quote>) to provide access to quality health care for enrollees.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HF472815735DE4C5296542EB14D26FA0D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Timeframe</header> <subparagraph id="HF169D41961B04328A1F00617B40083C2"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Individual market availability</header> <clause id="H9654E85E266440C19F2437A018D44878"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>In accordance with clause (ii), the Secretary shall make the health plan available in the individual market, in certain rating areas, for plan year 2020 and each subsequent plan year, and increase the availability such that the plan is available in the individual market to all residents of all rating areas in the United States for plan year 2023 and each subsequent plan year.</text></clause>
<clause id="HC08A1A14930C4650BEA07F8ABEB57CFE"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Priority areas</header><text>In determining in which rating areas the Secretary initially will make the health plan available, the Secretary shall give priority to rating areas in which—</text> <subclause id="H812D0241D4DE4320B37025E8874083EF"><enum>(I)</enum><text>not more than 1 health insurance issuer offers plans on the applicable State or Federal American Health Benefit Exchange (referred to in this title as the <quote>Exchange</quote>); or</text></subclause>
<subclause id="HCDCB113B46604A4EA3522D1146405F2C"><enum>(II)</enum><text>there is a shortage of health providers or lack of competition that results in a high cost of health care services, including health professional shortage areas and rural areas.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HD1E89DE97815497F8F4275AE971329E3"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Small group market</header><text>The Secretary shall make the health plan available in the small group market in all rating areas for plan year 2024.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H063E5A78126C4458862D678D48B8B867"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Establishment of funds</header>
<paragraph id="HCA3D0B5F14994A34BEE7770D8D7BD418"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Plan Reserve Fund</header>
<subparagraph id="H30AAF60EB5B24FFD8CF29149B02411A4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>There is established in the Treasury of the United States a <quote>Plan Reserve Fund</quote>, to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for purposes of establishing the Medicare Exchange health plan and administering such plan, consisting of amounts appropriated to such fund.</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HF4E3CFD2B0B44F6FBEF75DFAEDA5F170"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Appropriation</header><text>There is appropriated $1,000,000,000, out of monies in the Treasury not otherwise obligated, to the Plan Reserve Fund for fiscal year 2018.</text></subparagraph></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4BE0324619BD4214B1634240D6F45827"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Data and Technology Fund</header><text>There is established in the Treasury of the United States a <quote>Data and Technology Fund</quote>, to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, for purposes of updating technology and performing data collection under section 2205 in order to establish appropriate premiums for all geographic regions of the United States. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Data and Technology Fund such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H9456CF4AD46445BCA6D16A59173E4F95"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rulemaking</header><text>The Secretary may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this title.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H72B28C5D60F04E79BB75ACBEE0B64FC3"><enum>2202.</enum><header>Availability of plan</header>
<subsection id="H5507FD44B0B845F8A38E87247108B035"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Eligibility</header><text>An individual shall be eligible to enroll in the health plan if such individual, for the entire period for which enrollment is sought—</text> <paragraph id="H7FCAB7C11433493298C689211D9DCB58"><enum>(1)</enum><text>is a qualified individual within the meaning of section 1312 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18032">42 U.S.C. 18032</external-xref>); and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H10A799A7B3794BCE838C385C761A5FE1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>is not eligible for benefits under the Medicare program under title XVIII.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HAD6003640AB84A2A88BE25615C303C68"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Exchanges</header><text>In accordance with the timeframe under section 2201(a)(2), the health plan shall be made available through the American Health Benefit Exchanges described in sections 1311 and 1321 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18031">42 U.S.C. 18031</external-xref>, 18041), including the Small Business Health Options Program Exchange.</text></subsection></section>
<section id="HDA7FF6976BB04DCB86E8F6D4B14F49F1"><enum>2203.</enum><header>Plan requirements</header>
<subsection id="H4F9562588ED544598B86E6A7837B7CD4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The health plan shall comply with all requirements of subtitle D of title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18021">42 U.S.C. 18021</external-xref> et seq.) and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/300gg">42 U.S.C. 300gg</external-xref> et seq.) applicable to qualified health plans, and such health plan shall be a qualified health plan, including for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H0059154DCEC241DB9D0C333AEE842F68"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Levels of coverage</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary—</text>
<paragraph id="HF4F7DFCAA5804F0789EE24C742D6C5B4"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">shall make available a silver level and gold level version of the plan, in accordance with section 1301(a)(1)(C)(ii); and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H6FF182A950FA4F02BEE6CA709B76CD4B"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">may make available no more than 2 versions of the plan for each of the 4 levels of coverage described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of section 1302(d)(1) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18022">42 U.S.C. 18022(d)(1)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section id="HB033A6D7945C4E1BAAFD0F27B047C994"><enum>2204.</enum><header>Administrative contracting</header>
<subsection id="HF1C6B001EBCD46EDAD69FAD0C6AD213D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary may enter into contracts for the purpose of performing administrative functions (including functions described in subsection (a)(4) of section 1874A) with respect to the health plan in the same manner as the Secretary may enter into contracts under subsection (a)(1) of such section. The Secretary shall have the same authority with respect to the public health insurance option as the Secretary has under such subsection (a)(1) and subsection (b) of section 1874A with respect to title XVIII.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H85156494C7434503BE11AFBD1C6306D1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Transfer of insurance risk</header><text>Any contract under subsection (a) shall not involve the transfer of insurance risk from the Secretary to the entity entering into such contract with the Secretary, except in the case of an alternative payment model under section 2209(h).</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H8E5108180D074220B32E1F9CD3A00A35"><enum>2205.</enum><header>Data collection</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subject to all applicable privacy requirements, including the requirements under the regulations promulgated pursuant to section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1320d-2">42 U.S.C. 1320d–2</external-xref> note), the Secretary may collect data from State insurance commissioners and other relevant entities to establish rates for premiums and for other purposes including to improve quality, and reduce racial, ethnic, and other disparities, with respect to the health plan.</text></section> <section id="H00122FE29EA545CF8DF4D3B6A0C1A7EF"><enum>2206.</enum><header>Premiums; risk pools; reinsurance</header> <subsection id="H9B08EE7297C949B68AF3DFECE5C01112"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Premium amounts</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall establish premiums for the health plan that cover the full actuarial cost of offering such plan, including the administrative costs of offering such plan. Such premiums shall vary geographically and between the small group market and the individual market in accordance with differences in the cost of providing such coverage. If, for any plan year, the amount collected in premiums exceeds the amount required for health care benefits and administrative costs in that plan year, such excess amounts shall remain available to the Secretary to administer the health plan and finance beneficiary costs in subsequent years.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HA82CB833DDCC4380855945CDD16194CC"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Risk pool</header><text>All enrollees in the health plan within a State shall be members of a single risk pool, except that the Secretary may establish separate risk pools for the individual market and small group market if the State has not exercised its authority under section 1312(c)(3) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18032">42 U.S.C. 18032(c)(3)</external-xref>).</text></subsection> <subsection id="H333D437042464623A54D7F01A95E30E3"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reinsurance</header><text>Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary may establish a mechanism to pool the costs of the highest-cost patients on a nationwide basis to the extent such costs are not already pooled pursuant to section 1343 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/18063">42 U.S.C. 18063</external-xref>).</text></subsection></section>
<section id="H2AE5B33F362D4274BECE57A989D3306F"><enum>2207.</enum><header>Reimbursement rates</header>
<subsection id="H92F808912D224DBE9ABE91BBCD78DE3B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Medicare rates</header>
<paragraph id="HAB701056BE034D509F311940BCB44ABC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) and subsections (b) and (c) and subject to subsection (d), the Secretary shall reimburse health care providers furnishing items and services under the health plan at rates determined for equivalent items and services under the original Medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B of title XVIII.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HA3726281721B4026B26B33F65807A3B8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Authority to increase payments rates in rural areas</header><text>If the Secretary determines appropriate, the Secretary may increase the reimbursements rates described in paragraph (1) by up to 25 percent for items and services furnished in rural areas (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D)).</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E9888F81F9C492DABD95040B8451398"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Prescription drugs</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to subsection (d), payment rates for prescription drugs shall be at a rate negotiated by the Secretary. Such negotiations may be in conjunction with negotiations for covered part D drugs under part D of title XVIII.</text></subsection> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H838E22C851EC4A56B450E24F77138B7C"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Additional items and services</header><text>Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary shall establish reimbursement rates for any items and services provided under the health plan that are not items and services provided under the original Medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B of title XVIII.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H59E6B598E2FE4204912C99875101A577"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Innovative payment methods</header><text>The Secretary may utilize innovative payment methods, including value-based payment arrangements, in making payments for items and services (including prescription drugs) furnished under the health plan.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H4ADC9CC3CCF94EF0A9DC5B824B86C304"><enum>2208.</enum><header>Participating providers</header> <subsection id="H2F417D3F0BDD4A4AB606B75169A92659"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A health care provider that is enrolled under the Medicare program under section 1866(j) or is a participating provider under a State Medicaid plan under title XIX on the date of enactment of this Act shall be a participating provider under the health plan.</text></subsection>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H97088DA404E44BA1B6ADE5E939F90A58"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Additional providers</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a process to allow health care providers not described in subsection (a) to become a participating provider under the health plan.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H4FA481286948435989A286B464457018"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Opt-Out</header><text>The Secretary shall establish a process by which a health care provider that is a participating provider under the health plan pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) may opt-out of being such a participating provider.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H262A9A7243E24F17848AAD0CC7E3A4C7"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Requirement To participate in order To be enrolled under Medicare</header><text>Beginning January 1, 2019, a health care provider may not be enrolled under the Medicare program under section 1866(j) unless the provider is also a participating provider under the health plan.</text></subsection></section> <section id="H650BD5B8003843D3BAC4A50511AB5DF5"><enum>2209.</enum><header>Delivery system reform for an enhanced health plan</header> <subsection id="H650F82E32F184B098D31F626AB7E3C64"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For plan years beginning with plan year 2020, the Secretary may utilize innovative payment mechanisms and policies to determine payments for items and services under the health plan. The payment mechanisms and policies under this section may include patient-centered medical home and other care management payments, accountable care organizations, value-based purchasing, bundling of services, differential payment rates, performance or utilization based payments, telehealth, remote patient monitoring, partial capitation, and direct contracting with providers.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="HE6CFCAD9E3B041F89D0E0AED160F8140"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements for innovative payments</header><text>The Secretary shall design and implement the payment mechanisms and policies under this section in a manner that—</text> <paragraph id="HEDB2BBC979EF4A32A93EE0AEA3480458"><enum>(1)</enum><text>seeks to—</text>
<subparagraph id="HFE40544189B7407B8DF8607B701F1260"><enum>(A)</enum><text>improve health outcomes;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HA7AB382A76EC44FE823363BDBA936763"><enum>(B)</enum><text>reduce health disparities (including racial, ethnic, and other disparities);</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H8AB07F5B19C9414F9349CCA03334D8D9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>provide efficient and affordable care;</text></subparagraph> <subparagraph id="HE708899217F643C5A78F0CC8818ED9E5"><enum>(D)</enum><text>address geographic variation in the provision of health services; or</text></subparagraph>
<subparagraph id="H10FE75E3AEB14547A25BC002119E8FA0"><enum>(E)</enum><text>prevent or manage chronic illness; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph> <paragraph id="H7F0B68174CE44B6E82053F31BDDB85C8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>promotes care that is integrated, patient-centered, quality, and efficient.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H23D4C26C21A2443C837005CEB101B637"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Encouraging the use of high-Value services</header><text>To the extent allowed by the benefit standards applied to all health benefits plans participating in the Exchanges (as described in section 2202(b)), the health plan may modify cost-sharing and payment rates to encourage the use of services that promote health and value.</text></subsection> <subsection id="H65BAFAD741F242D1A723938BB48CB644"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Promotion of delivery system reform</header><text>The Secretary shall monitor and evaluate the progress of payment and delivery system reforms under this section and shall seek to implement such reforms subject to the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H7C05AF41A257416486A0CA5DFA8A4E13"><enum>(1)</enum><text>To the extent that the Secretary finds a payment and delivery system reform successful in improving quality and reducing costs, the Secretary shall implement such reform on as large a geographic scale as practical and economical.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HC2A3EAE2B9F84667BDD930A8ACA22336"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary may delay the implementation of such a reform in geographic areas in which such implementation would place the public health insurance option at a competitive disadvantage.</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H0F04E3316CC34978B9A0F739CA7231B4"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Secretary may prioritize implementation of such a reform in high-cost geographic areas or otherwise in order to reduce total program costs or to promote high-value care.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5975885A41A04D74840A81C689A8E730"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Non-Uniformity permitted</header><text>Nothing in this section shall prevent the Secretary from varying payments based on different payment structure models (such as accountable care organizations and medical homes) under the health plan for different geographic areas.</text></subsection>
<subsection id="H024030493562430FA75A8016E7D5150A"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Integration with Social Services</header><text>The Secretary shall establish processes and, when appropriate, collaborate with other agencies to integrate medical care under the health plan with food, housing, transportation, and income assistance if the Secretary determines that such integration is expected to—</text> <paragraph id="HB5353313A50D44B7A8FD11F66E99CED5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>reduce spending without reducing the quality of patient care; or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph id="H4D530B8D8767446DB943C9DBE9A059D6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>improve the quality of patient care without increasing spending.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="H5CFD30F3EB7E41AE84D893F69A378810"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Telehealth</header><text>The Secretary shall ensure the integration of telehealth tools that increase patient access to medical care, particularly in remote or underserved areas, if the Secretary determines that such integration is expected to—</text>
<paragraph id="H5B2B509BE816468AA06DE297B3D65ED3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>reduce spending without reducing the quality of patient care; or</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H46BE1636AA5442718B9AB2C572258F95"><enum>(2)</enum><text>improve the quality of patient care without increasing spending.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H662AD2FA416C44F6966BE761F6CBBA76"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Alternative payment model</header>
<paragraph id="H8BA1924D050643AB938072B302E9E3CD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary shall evaluate the possibility of providing incentives, and, if appropriate, apply incentives, for enrollees in the health plan who receive services from providers who are participating in an alternative payment model (as defined in section 1833(z)(3)(C)).</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H9C7F423A0CAD43BC9F933763FE2A1B52"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Authority to use apms in use under traditional Medicare</header><text>Nothing in this section shall preclude the Secretary from using alternative payment models (as so defined) under this title that are in use under title XVIII.</text></paragraph></subsection></section>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H483C775273AE41FB9BE1D5D3AF8347EF" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>2210.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">No effect on Medicare benefits or Medicare Trust Funds</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this title shall—</text> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAA37FECF11A9422D98F03D25BC92BCBB"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">affect the benefits available under title XVIII; or</text></paragraph>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB94BF532D8E9443CBB0B763473B7BCAA"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">impact the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under section 1817 or the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 (including the Medicare Prescription Drug Account within such Trust Fund).</text></paragraph></section></title><after-quoted-block>. </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section> <section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HDCEF3329550043768C93FA95763D41AC" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>3.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Authority to negotiate fair prices for Medicare prescription drugs</header> <subsection id="H87A7C40EBC9B490BB2EFC24B4095D891"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 1860D–11 of the <act-name parsable-cite="SSA">Social Security Act</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1395w-111">42 U.S.C. 1395w–111</external-xref>) is amended by striking subsection (i).</text></subsection>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEAB9EBDE17D24928A6E8C31826455C08"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendment made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection></section> </legis-body></bill>

