[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 68 (Thursday, May 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                MEDICARE AND MEDICAID COVERAGE DATA BANK

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 1994

  Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, I am today introducing legislation to 
postpone the implementation of a provision of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1993 relating to the Medicare and Medicaid 
coverage data bank.
  Under current law, businesses are required to provide the data bank 
with information relating to the health insurance status of their 
employees and their employees' dependents. The catch is that the Health 
Care Financing Administration, the agency responsible for operating the 
data bank, has yet to issue regulations stating the specific 
information each business should be collecting. Under this law, firms 
could be fined for failure to comply with yet unspecified requirements.
  Following is a summary of the bill:
  The penalty for failure to report would be suspended until the first 
day of the first calendar year beginning 90 days after the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services has promulgated regulations regarding which 
information is required to be collected.
  The bill would be effective as if it had been included in the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.

                          ____________________