[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2148 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2148

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent an increase 
         in the Medicare part B premium and deductible in 2016.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 7, 2015

 Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Brown, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Casey, 
 Mr. Menendez, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Sanders, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Carper, Mr. Udall, Ms. Hirono, Mr. 
King, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Coons, Mr. Franken, and Mr. Merkley) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                               on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent an increase 
         in the Medicare part B premium and deductible in 2016.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. PREVENTING MEDICARE PART B PREMIUM AND DEDUCTIBLE INCREASES IN 
              2016.

    (a) In General.--Section 1839(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395r(a)) is amended--
            (1) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``Such'' and inserting ``Subject to paragraph (5), such''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(5) In applying this part (including subsection (i) and section 
1833(b)), the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over for 
2016 shall be equal to the monthly actuarial rate for such enrollees 
for 2015.''.
    (b) Conforming Funding.--Section 1844(a) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395w(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; plus''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) a Government contribution equal to, as estimated by 
        the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 
        Services, the reduction in aggregate premiums payable for a 
        month under this part that is attributable to the application 
        of section 1839(a)(5) with respect to--
                    ``(A) enrollees age 65 and over; and
                    ``(B) enrollees under age 65.
In applying paragraph (1), the Government contribution under paragraph 
(4) with respect to enrollees described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
such paragraph (4) shall be treated as premiums payable and deposited 
in the Trust Fund under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of 
paragraph (1).''.
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