[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2618 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.2618

                       One Hundred Eighth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
           the twentieth day of January, two thousand and four


                                 An Act


 
 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to extend medicare cost-
   sharing for the medicare part B premium for qualifying individuals 
                         through September 2005.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF MEDICARE COST-SHARING FOR THE MEDICARE PART B 
PREMIUM FOR QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS.
    (a) In General.--Section 1902(a)(10)(E)(iv) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(E)(iv)) is amended by striking ``2004'' and 
inserting ``2005''.
    (b) Total Amount Available for Allocation.--Section 1933(g) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u-3(g)) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(g) Special Rules.--
        ``(1) In general.--With respect to each period described in 
    paragraph (2), a State shall select qualifying individuals, subject 
    to paragraph (3), and provide such individuals with assistance, in 
    accordance with the provisions of this section as in effect with 
    respect to calendar year 2003, except that for such purpose--
            ``(A) references in the preceding subsections of this 
        section to a year, whether fiscal or calendar, shall be deemed 
        to be references to such period; and
            ``(B) the total allocation amount under subsection (c) for 
        such period shall be the amount described in paragraph (2) for 
        that period.
        ``(2) Periods and total allocation amounts described.--For 
    purposes of this subsection--
            ``(A) for the period that begins on January 1, 2004, and 
        ends on September 30, 2004, the total allocation amount is 
        $300,000,000;
            ``(B) for the period that begins on October 1, 2004, and 
        ends on December 31, 2004, the total allocation amount is 
        $100,000,000; and
            ``(C) for the period that begins on January 1, 2005, and 
        ends on September 30, 2005, the total allocation amount is 
        $300,000,000.
        ``(3) Rules for periods that begin after january 1.--For any 
    specific period described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2), the 
    following applies:
            ``(A) The specific period shall be treated as a 
        continuation of the immediately preceding period in that 
        calendar year for purposes of applying subsection (b)(2) and 
        qualifying individuals who received assistance in the last 
        month of such immediately preceding period shall be deemed to 
        be selected for the specific period (without the need to 
        complete an application for assistance for such period).
            ``(B) The limit to be applied under subsection (b)(3) for 
        the specific period shall be the same as the limit applied 
        under such subsection for the immediately preceding period.
            ``(C) The ratio to be applied under subsection (c)(2) for 
        the specific period shall be the same as the ratio applied 
        under such subsection for the immediately preceding period.''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.