[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1529 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1529

To amend title XVIII to expand the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 
   to 19 members and to include on such commission individuals with 
     national recognition for their expertise in manufacturing and 
                  distributing finished medical goods.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 5, 1999

  Mr. Frist (for himself and Mr. Robb) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII to expand the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 
   to 19 members and to include on such commission individuals with 
     national recognition for their expertise in manufacturing and 
                  distributing finished medical goods.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The amendments to the Social Security Act contained in 
        section 4022 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 
        105-33) established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to 
        replace the Physician Payment Review Commission and the 
        Prospective Payment Assessment Commission.
            (2) The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is required to 
        submit an annual report to Congress containing an examination 
        of issues and policy recommendations that affect the medicare 
        program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395 et seq.).
            (3) The medicare program has struggled to keep up with the 
        latest technologies and medical supply products, even if such 
        technologies and products prove to be cost-effective.
            (4) The ability to keep up with such technologies and 
        products requires--
                    (A) analysis of both the cost and quality of 
                various products; and
                    (B) constant review of medical developments.
            (5) The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has broad 
        authority and includes the ability to review and make 
        recommendations on procurement reimbursement and reform issues, 
        including the effect, impact, and cost implications of 
        competitive bidding, flexible purchasing, and inherent 
        reasonableness on the provision of a full range of effective 
        medical products and services to medicare beneficiaries. 
        However, as of the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        membership of the commission has not included individuals with 
        expertise in manufacturing and distributing finished medical 
        goods.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF MEMBERSHIP OF MEDPAC TO 19.

    (a) In General.--Section 1805(c) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395b-6(c)), as amended by section 5202 of the Tax and Trade 
Relief Extension Act of 1998 (contained in division J of Public Law 
105-277), is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``17'' and inserting 
        ``19''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``individuals with 
        national recognition for their expertise in manufacturing and 
        distributing finished medical goods,'' after ``other health 
        professionals,''.
    (b) Initial Terms of Additional Members.--
            (1) In general.--For purposes of staggering the initial 
        terms of members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 
        under section 1805(c)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395b-6(c)(3)), the initial terms of the 2 additional members 
        of the Commission provided for by the amendment under 
        subsection (a)(1) are as follows:
                    (A) One member shall be appointed for 1 year.
                    (B) One member shall be appointed for 2 years.
            (2) Commencement of terms.--Such terms shall begin on 
        January 1, 2000.
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