II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1655 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 5, 2011 Mr. Corker (for himself and Mr. Bennet) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for the annual mailing of statements of Medicare beneficiary part A contributions and benefits in coordination with the annual mailing of Social Security account statements.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Medicare Information Act of 2011.

2.

Annual Medicare beneficiary part A contributions and benefits statements

(a)

In general

Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act is amended by inserting after section 1143 (42 U.S.C. 1320b–13) the following new section:

1143A.

Annual Medicare beneficiary part A contributions and benefits statements

(a)

Provision

(1)

In general

Beginning not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Commissioner of Social Security, shall provide a statement described in subsection (b) (in this section referred to as an annual Medicare part A information statement) on an annual basis to each eligible individual (as defined in subsection (d)) for whom a current mailing address can be determined through such methods as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (2)

Coordination in single mailing with Social Security account statements

In order to avoid sending separate statements under this section and section 1143 in the case of an individual for whom a social security account statement is provided under section 1143 and a separate annual Medicare part A information statement would otherwise be provided under this section, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Commissioner of Social Security, whether through transmittal of data or otherwise, in a manner so that the annual Medicare part A information statement is included and sent with such social security account statement. (3)

Methodology

(A)

In general

The Secretary, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall specify the methodology to be used in estimating lifetime contributions and lifetime benefits with respect to annual Medicare part A information statements. Such methodology for computing the lifespan of an individual shall be the same methodology used for purposes of the social security account statement under section 1143. (B)

Inclusion of description in statement

The Secretary shall include a brief description of the key assumptions used in such methodology in the annual Medicare part A information statements. (4)

Summary of medicare part A program

Each annual Medicare part A information statement shall include a summary of part A of the Medicare program. Such summary shall also include a summary description of benefits and enrollment options under parts B, C, and D of title XVIII, but shall indicate that the information described in subsection (b) does not include information related to contributions and benefits under those parts. (b)

Medicare part A information statement described

In addition to the information described in paragraphs (3)(B) and (4) of subsection (a), each annual Medicare part A information statement for an eligible individual shall contain the following: (1)

HI employee contributions

The total contributions described in section 1143(a)(2)(C) for the individual— (A)for the most recent year for which data are available; (B)to the extent feasible, for previous periods through the end of such year; and (C)as projected for the individual during the individual’s lifetime. To the extent feasible, of such total contributions the portion that is attributable to employer, employee, and self-employment contributions.(2)

Medicare part A benefits

In the case of an eligible individual— (A)who, for such most recent year, was entitled to benefits under part A of title XVIII, the total value of such benefits provided to the individual under such part as of the end of such year and, to the extent feasible, the total value of such benefits for such individual for previous periods through the end of such year; and (B)an estimate of the actuarial value of the expected benefits under such part for the individual during the individual’s lifetime, including (but stated separately) any benefits described in subparagraph (A). (3)

Comparison

An appropriate comparison of such contributions with such benefits. (c)

Records retention

The Secretary shall provide for the indefinite retention of information that— (1)is described in subsection (b), including benefits described in subsection (b)(2); and (2)the Secretary has not discarded as of the date of the enactment of this section. (d)

Eligible individual defined

In this section, the term eligible individual means an individual— (1)who has a social security account number; (2)who has attained age 25 or over; and (3)who is entitled to benefits under part A of title XVIII or who, as of the end of the most recent year referred to in subsection (b)(1)(A), has had any contributions described in subsection (b)(1) made with respect to the individual during such year or a previous year.

. (b)

Inclusion of social security account statement for those receiving annual Medicare part A information statement

Section 1143(a)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–13(a)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following: Such term includes an individual not described in the previous sentence who is an eligible individual (as defined in subsection (d) of section 1143A) for whom an annual Medicare part A information statement is provided under such section..