[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1521 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1521

To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 
      Medicare prescription drug benefit late enrollment penalty.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2007

  Mr. Kagen (for himself, Mr. Altmire, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. 
 Castor, Mr. Braley of Iowa, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, 
Mr. Farr, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Higgins, Mr. McNulty, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Cohen, 
 Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Wexler) 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 part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 
      Medicare prescription drug benefit late enrollment penalty.

    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 ``Universal Health Act of 2007: Repeal 
of the Late Enrollment Penalty in Medicare Part D''.

SEC. 2. REMOVING THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT LATE ENROLLMENT 
              PENALTY.

    (a) In General.--Section 1860D-13 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395w-113) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``; late enrollment 
        penalty'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(1), by striking subparagraph (D);
            (3) by striking subsection (b); and
            (4) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(and any late 
                enrollment penalty)'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2); and
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``paragraph (2) 
                shall not apply and''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 1860D-1 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-101) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (3), by striking 
                        subparagraph (A); and
                            (ii) by striking paragraph (6); and
                    (B) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (4).
            (2) Section 1860D-11(g)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
        111(g)(6)) is amended by striking ``Except for as provided in 
        section 1860D-13(b) (relating to late enrollment penalty) and 
        subject'' and inserting ``Subject''.
            (3) Section 1860D-14 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by amending subsection (a)(1)(A) to read as 
                follows:
            ``(A) Full premium subsidy.--An income-related premium 
        subsidy equal to 100 percent of the amount described in 
        subsection (b)(1), but not to exceed the premium amount 
        specified in subsection (b)(2)(B).''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by striking ``The 
                premium amounts described in this subparagraph do not 
                include any amounts attributable to late enrollment 
                penalties under section 1860D-13(b).''.
            (4) Section 1860D-16(b)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
        116(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``(and the portion of late 
        enrollment penalties)''.
            (5) Section 1860D-41(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
        141(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
            (6) Section 1882(v)(2)(B)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395ss(v)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(ii) If the individual does not enroll in a plan 
                under part D during such period, the individual may 
                continue enrollment in the individual's current plan 
                without change, but the individual will not be 
                guaranteed the option of enrollment in another medicare 
                supplemental policy pursuant to paragraph (3).''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall be effective as of the date 
of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to monthly beneficiary 
premiums for months beginning after such date.
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