[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1134 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1134

   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain 
 savings provisions under the medicare program, as incorporated in the 
        budget submitted by the President for fiscal year 1996.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 1995

   Mr. Thomas of California introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and, in addition, to the 
 Committee on Commerce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain 
 savings provisions under the medicare program, as incorporated in the 
        budget submitted by the President for fiscal year 1996.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Presidential Budget Savings 
Extension Act of 1995''.

     TITLE I--PROVISIONS RELATING TO PART A OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM

SEC. 101. MAINTAINING SAVINGS RESULTING FROM TEMPORARY FREEZE ON 
              PAYMENT INCREASES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITY SERVICES.

    (a) Basing Updates to Per Diem Cost Limits on Limits for Fiscal 
Year 1993.--
            (1) In general.--The last sentence of section 1888(a) of 
        the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(a)) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following: ``(except that such updates 
        may not take into account any changes in the routine service 
        costs of skilled nursing facilities occurring during cost 
        reporting periods which began during fiscal year 1994 or fiscal 
        year 1995).''.
            (2) No exceptions permitted based on amendment.--The 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services shall not consider the 
        amendment made by paragraph (1) in making any adjustments 
        pursuant to section 1888(c) of the Social Security Act.
    (b) Payments Determined on Prospective Basis.--Any change made by 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the amount of any 
prospective payment paid to a skilled nursing facility under section 
1888(d) of the Social Security Act for cost reporting periods beginning 
on or after October 1, 1995, may not take into account any changes in 
the costs of services occurring during cost reporting periods which 
began during fiscal year 1994 or fiscal year 1995.

    TITLE II--PROVISIONS RELATING TO PART B OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM

SEC. 201. SETTING THE PART B PREMIUM AT 25 PERCENT OF PROGRAM 
              EXPENDITURES PERMANENTLY.

    (a) In General.--Section 1839(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395r(a)(3)) is amended by striking ``The monthly premium'' and 
all that follows through ``November 1.'' and inserting the following: 
``The monthly premium shall be equal to 50 percent of the monthly 
actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over, as determined according 
to paragraph (1), for that succeeding calendar year.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1839 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395r) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``(b) and (e)'' and 
        inserting ``(b), (c), (e), and (f)'';
            (2) in the last sentence of subsection (a)(3), by striking 
        ``and the derivation of the dollar amounts specified in this 
        paragraph''; and
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``(1)(A) Notwithstanding'' and all 
                that follows through ``(B)'',
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2), and
                    (C) by redesignating clauses (i) through (v) as 
                paragraphs (1) through (5).

TITLE III--PROVISIONS RELATING TO PARTS A AND B OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM

SEC. 301. PERMANENT EXTENSION OF CERTAIN SECONDARY PAYER PROVISIONS.

    (a) Data Match.--
            (1) Section 1862(b)(5)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1395y(b)(5)(C)) is amended by striking clause (iii).
            (2) Section 6103(l)(12) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
        1986 is amended by striking subparagraph (F).
    (b) Application to Disabled Individuals in Large Group Health 
Plans.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1862(b)(1)(B) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(b)(1)(B)) is amended--
                    (A) in clause (i), by striking ``clause (iv)'' and 
                inserting ``clause (iii)'',
                    (B) by striking clause (iii), and
                    (C) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (iii).
            (2) Conforming amendments.--Paragraphs (1) through (3) of 
        section 1837(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395p(i)) and the second 
        sentence of section 1839(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r(b)) 
        are each amended by striking ``1862(b)(1)(B)(iv)'' each place 
        it appears and inserting ``1862(b)(1)(B)(iii)''.
    (c) Period of Application to Individuals with End Stage Renal 
Disease.--Section 1862(b)(1)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395y(b)(1)(C)) is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``12-month'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``18-month'', and
            (2) by striking the second sentence.

SEC. 302. MAINTAINING SAVINGS RESULTING FROM TEMPORARY FREEZE ON 
              PAYMENT INCREASES FOR HOME HEALTH SERVICES.

    (a) Basing Updates to Per Visit Cost Limits on Limits for Fiscal 
Year 1993.--Section 1861(v)(1)(L)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(v)(1)(L)(iii)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following sentence: ``In establishing limits under this subparagraph, 
the Secretary may not take into account any changes in the costs of the 
provision of services furnished by home health agencies with respect to 
cost reporting periods which began on or after July 1, 1994, and before 
July 1, 1996.''.
    (b) No Exceptions Permitted Based on Amendment.--The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall not consider the amendment made by 
subsection (a) in making any exemptions and exceptions pursuant to 
section 1861(v)(1)(L)(ii) of the Social Security Act.
                                 <all>