[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 841 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 841

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to 
   Medicare+Choice plans for special needs Medicare beneficiaries by 
  allowing plans to target enrollment to special needs beneficiaries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 13, 2003

Mr. Ramstad (for himself and Mr. Cardin) 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 title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to 
   Medicare+Choice plans for special needs Medicare beneficiaries by 
  allowing plans to target enrollment to special needs beneficiaries.

    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 Improvements for Special 
Needs Beneficiaries Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. SPECIALIZED MEDICARE+CHOICE PLANS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS 
              BENEFICIARIES.

    (a) Treatment as Coordinated Care Plan.--Section 1851(a)(2)(A) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-21(a)(2)(A)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Specialized 
Medicare+Choice plans for special needs beneficiaries (as defined in 
section 1859(b)(4)) may be any type of coordinated care plan.''.
    (b) Specialized Medicare+Choice Plan for Special Needs 
Beneficiaries Defined.--Section 1859(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
29(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Specialized medicare+choice plans for special needs 
        beneficiaries.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `specialized 
                Medicare+Choice plan for special needs beneficiaries' 
                means a Medicare+Choice plan that exclusively serves 
                special needs beneficiaries (as defined in subparagraph 
                (B)).
                    ``(B) Special needs beneficiary.--The term `special 
                needs beneficiary' means a Medicare+Choice eligible 
                individual who--
                            ``(i) is institutionalized (as defined by 
                        the Secretary);
                            ``(ii) is entitled to medical assistance 
                        under a State plan under title XIX; or
                            ``(iii) meets such requirements as the 
                        Secretary may determine would benefit from 
                        enrollment in such a specialized 
                        Medicare+Choice plan described in subparagraph 
                        (A) for individuals with severe or disabling 
                        chronic conditions.''.
    (c) Restriction on Enrollment Permitted.--Section 1859 of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395w-29) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(f) Restriction on Enrollment for Specialized Medicare+Choice 
Plans for Special Needs Beneficiaries.--In the case of a specialized 
Medicare+Choice plan (as defined in subsection (b)(4)), notwithstanding 
any other provision of this part and in accordance with regulations of 
the Secretary and for periods before January 1, 2008, the plan may 
restrict the enrollment of individuals under the plan to individuals 
who are within one or more classes of special needs beneficiaries.''.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than December 31, 2006, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a 
report that assesses the impact of specialized Medicare+Choice plans 
for special needs beneficiaries on the cost and quality of services 
provided to enrollees. Such report shall include an assessment of the 
costs and savings to the medicare program as a result of amendments 
made by subsections (a), (b), and (c).
    (e) Effective Dates.--
            (1) In general.--The amendments made by subsections (a), 
        (b), and (c) shall take effect upon the date of the enactment 
        of this Act.
            (2) Deadline for issuance of requirements for special needs 
        beneficiaries; transition.--No later than 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services shall issue final regulations to establish 
        requirements for special needs beneficiaries under section 
        1859(b)(4)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act, as added by 
        subsection (b).
                                 <all>