109 HR 5615 IH: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to waive the U.S. House of Representatives 2006-06-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5615 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 14, 2006 Mr. Pallone (for himself and Mr. Stark) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend title II of the Social Security Act to waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage of individuals disabled with distant stage cancer.

1.

Short title; findings

(a)

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Dean Gallo Cancer Patient Compassion Act of 2006. (b)

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)It is estimated that over 1,300,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. (2)Roughly, 86,000 or 7 percent of all diagnosed cancer patients have no health insurance. (3)Lung and colorectal cancers alone account for over a quarter of all new cases of cancer. (4)The 5-year survival rate for individuals with distant stage lung cancers is 3 percent. (5)The 5-year survival rate for individuals with distant stage colorectal cancer is 9 percent. (6)Individuals suffering from cancer who receive Social Security Disability benefits must wait 24 months for Medicare eligibility.

2.

Waiver of 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage of individuals disabled with cancer

(a)

In General

Section 226(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426(h)) is amended— (1)by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively; (2)by inserting (1) after (h); (3)in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by striking an individual medically determined to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and inserting an individual described in paragraph (2); and (4)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2)For purposes of paragraph (1), an individual described in this paragraph is any of the following: (A)An individual medically determined to have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). (B)An individual medically determined to have stage III or IV cancer who is not enrolled, or who may not be enrolled, in a group health plan described in section 1862(b)(1)(A)(v), or a large group health plan described in section 1862(b)(1)(B)(iii), by reason of the individual’s current or former employment or by reason of the current or former employment status of a member of the individual’s family. . (b)

Effective Date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to benefits for months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.