[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4996 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4996

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend the employer 
subsidy payment provisions under the Medicare prescription drug program 
              to State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2006

  Mrs. Lowey (for herself and Mr. Bishop of New York) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 the employer 
subsidy payment provisions under the Medicare prescription drug program 
              to State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs.

    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 ``Existing Drug Coverage Protection 
Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE SUBSIDY PAYMENTS TO STATE PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1860D-23 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395w-133) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(e) Subsidy Payment.--The provisions of section 1860D-22 shall 
apply to a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program (as defined in 
subsection (b)) and the State offering such Program in the same manner 
as such provisions apply to employment-based retiree health coverage 
(as defined in subsection (c)(1) of such section) and the sponsor of 
such coverage.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2007.
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