[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1854 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1854

To amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reimburse 
Medicare+Choice plans located in the same metropolitan statistical area 
                         the same payment rate.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 2003

 Mr. Andrews introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
    and 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 part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reimburse 
Medicare+Choice plans located in the same metropolitan statistical area 
                         the same payment rate.

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

SECTION 1. UNIFORM MEDICARE+CHOICE PAYMENT RATES FOR ALL AREAS WITHIN A 
              METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA.

    Section 1853(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-23(d)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (3)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraphs (3) and (4)'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting ``and in paragraph 
        (4)'' after ``in subparagraph (C)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Consolidated treatment of areas within a metropolitan 
        statistical area.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Effective beginning with 2004, 
                all the portions of each metropolitan statistical area 
                (regardless of whether they are located in one or more 
                States) shall be treated as a single Medicare+Choice 
                payment area.
                    ``(B) Budget neutrality adjustment.--The Secretary 
                shall beginning with 2004 and annually thereafter 
                adjust the payment rates otherwise established under 
                this section for Medicare+Choice payment areas in a 
                manner so that the aggregate of the payments under this 
                section in the State shall not exceed the aggregate 
                payments that would have been made under this section 
                for Medicare+Choice payment areas in the State in the 
                absence of the change effected under subparagraph 
                (A).''.
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