[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself and Mr. Levin):
  S. 303. A bill to waive temporarily the Medicare enrollment 
composition rules for the Wellness Plan; to the Committee on Finance.


          medicare waiver for the wellness plan of detroit, mi

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, at the end of the last Congress I 
expressed my disappointment at the unwillingness of this body and the 
other Chamber to move legislation that I believe is important to the 
health care of the people of Michigan. Today I rise along with my 
colleague from Michigan, Senator Levin, to reintroduce our legislation 
providing a Medicare 50/50 enrollment composition rule waiver for the 
Wellness Plan of Detroit, MI.
  The Wellness Plan is a federally certified Medicaid health 
maintenance organization located in Detroit, MI. It has approximately 
150,000 enrollees--roughly 140,000 of whom are Medicaid, while only 
about 2,000 are Medicare beneficiaries. Since 1993, the Wellness Plan 
has had a health care prepayment plan contract with Medicare. However, 
technical changes enacted by Congress effective January 1, 1996, 
unintentionally prevent the Wellness Plan from enrolling additional 
Medicare beneficiaries under the HCPP contract. So the Wellness Plan is 
positioned to become a full Medicare risk contractor, it currently is 
precluded from doing so due to the 50/50 Medicare enrollment 
composition rule.
  Mr. President, it is important to note that even the Health Care 
Financing Administration has supported the Wellness Plan receiving this 
plan-specific 50/50 waiver. We also expect a companion bill to be 
introduced in the other Chamber shortly, and we expect it to be 
cosponsored by the entire Michigan delegation.
  Because this legislation is essentially noncontroversial, affects 
only the State of Michigan, and is supported by the entire State 
delegation, it is our earnest hope that the Senate will act on this 
measure as expeditiously as possible. There is no rational 
justification for preventing the Wellness Plan from enrolling new 
Medicare beneficiaries into its health plan. If our goal is to allow a 
wider variety of options and choices of health care plans for our 
seniors, a good place to start is to allow those Michigan residents who 
wish to join this particular health maintenance organization to be able 
to do so.
  Mr. President, I wish to thank my friend and colleague from Michigan, 
Senator Carl Levin, for once again supporting and helping me with this 
effort. I look forward to working with him to see that this measure 
which has such broad support in Michigan becomes enacted in the very 
near future.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 203

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. WAIVER OF MEDICARE ENROLLMENT COMPOSITION RULES 
                   FOR THE WELLNESS PLAN.

       The requirements of section 1876(f)(1) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395mm(f)(1)) are waived with respect 
     to Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. (doing business as The 
     Wellness Plan) for contract periods through December 31, 
     2000.

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, today I am joining with my colleague 
Senator Abraham in introducing legislation that would provide the 
Wellness Plan of Michigan with a Medicare 50/50 enrollment composition 
rule waiver. I was disappointed that Congress did not enact this waiver 
last session as the Wellness Plan is the prototype for the type of 
health maintenance organization into which many Medicare beneficiaries 
will want to enroll. It is my hope that the Senate will act 
expeditiously on this legislation so that Michigan Medicare 
beneficiaries may have the opportunity to enroll in this well-
established, quality plan.

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