[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 24, 2003)]
[Daily Digest]
[Pages D718-D720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                             Tuesday, June 24, 2003

[[Page D718]]


                              Daily Digest

                                 Senate


Chamber Action
Routine Proceedings, pages S8385-S8478
Measures Introduced: Eleven bills and two resolutions were introduced, 
as follows: S. 1316-1326, and S. Res. 181-182.
  Pages S8438-39
Measures Reported:
  S. 312, to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend the 
availability of allotments for fiscal years 1998 through 2001 under the 
State Children's Health Insurance Program. (S. Rept. No. 108-78) 
                                                             Page S8438
Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act: Senate continued 
consideration of S. 1, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
to make improvements in the medicare program, to provide prescription 
drug coverage under the medicare program, taking action on the 
following amendments proposed thereto:
  Pages S8386-S8426, S8429-31
Adopted:
  Bingaman Modified Amendment No. 984, to require the Medicare Payment 
Advisory Commission to conduct a study regarding disproportionate share 
hospital payments under the Medicare program.
Page S8396
  By 93 yeas to 3 nays (Vote No. 237), Dayton Amendment No. 957, to 
provide that prescription drug benefits for any Member of Congress who 
is enrolled in a health benefits plan under chapter 89 of title 5, 
United States Code, may not exceed the level of prescription drug 
benefits passed in the 1st session of the 108th Congress.
Page S8408
Rejected:
  Rockefeller Amendment No. 976, to treat costs for covered drugs as 
incurred costs without regard to whether the individual or another 
person, including a State program or other third-party coverage, has 
paid for such costs. (By 52 yeas to 43 nays (Vote No. 233), Senate 
tabled the amendment.)
Pages S8393, S8394-96
  Baucus (for Dodd) Amendment No. 969, to permit continuous open 
enrollment and disenrollment in Medicare Prescription Drug plans and 
Medicare Advantage plans until 2008. (By 55 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 
234), Senate tabled the amendment.)
Pages S8401-03
  Pryor Amendment No. 981, to provide equal access to competitive 
global prescription medicine prices for American purchasers. (By 66 
yeas to 31 nays (Vote No. 235), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                                             Page S8403
  Boxer/Mikulski Amendment No. 1001, to eliminate the coverage gap. (By 
54 yeas to 42 nays (Vote No. 236), Senate tabled the amendment.) 
                                     Pages S8386-90, S8392-93, S8403-04
  Lincoln Amendment No. 1002, to allow Medicare beneficiaries who are 
enrolled in fallback plans to remain in such plans for two years by 
requiring the same contracting cycle for fallback plans as Medicare 
Prescription Drug plans. (By 51 yeas to 45 nays (Vote No. 238), Senate 
tabled the amendment.)
Pages S8390-92, S8393-94, S8408-09
  By 41 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 239), Lautenberg Amendment No. 982, 
to make prescription drug coverage available beginning on July 1, 2004.
                                                         Pages S8405-10
  By 41 yeas to 54 nays (Vote No. 240), Baucus (for Dodd) Amendment No. 
970, to provide 50 percent cost-sharing for a beneficiary whose income 
is at least 160 percent but not more than 250 percent of the poverty 
line after the beneficiary has reached the initial coverage gap and 
before the beneficiary has reached the annual out-of-pocket limit. 
                                                         Pages S8412-14
  By 41 yeas to 55 yeas (Vote No. 241), Dodd Amendment No. 998, to 
modify the amount of the direct subsidy to be provided to qualified 
retiree prescription drug plans.
Pages S8410-12, S8414-15
Pending:
  Graham (FL) Amendment No. 956, to provide that an eligible 
beneficiary is not responsible for paying the applicable percent of the 
monthly national average premium while the beneficiary is in the 
coverage gap and to sunset the bill.
Page S8386
  Kerry Amendment No. 958, to increase the availability of discounted 
prescription drugs.
Page S8386

[[Page D719]]


  Lincoln Modified Amendment No. 934, to ensure coverage for syringes 
for the administration of insulin, and necessary medical supplies 
associated with the administration of insulin.
Page S8386
  Lincoln Amendment No. 935, to clarify the intent of Congress 
regarding an exception to the initial residency period for geriatric 
residency or fellowship programs.
Page S8386
  Lincoln Amendment No. 959, to establish a demonstration project for 
direct access to physical therapy services under the Medicare program. 
                                                             Page S8386
  Baucus (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 964, to include coverage for 
tobacco cessation products.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 965, to establish a Council for 
Technology and Innovation.
Page S8386
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 938, to provide for a study and report on 
the propagation of concierge care.
Page S8386
  Nelson (FL) Amendment No. 936, to provide for an extension of the 
demonstration for ESRD managed care.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Harkin) Amendment No. 967, to provide improved payment 
for certain mammography services.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Harkin) Amendment No. 968, to restore reimbursement for 
total body orthotic management for nonambulatory, severely disabled 
nursing home residents.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Cantwell) Amendment No. 942, to prohibit an eligible 
entity offering a Medicare Prescription Drug plan, a MedicareAdvantage 
Organization offering a MedicareAdvantage plan, and other health plans 
from contracting with a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) unless the PBM 
satisfies certain requirements.
Page S8386
  Rockefeller Amendment No. 975, to make all Medicare beneficiaries 
eligible for Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Page S8386
  Akaka Amendment No. 980, to expand assistance with coverage for legal 
immigrants under the Medicaid program and SCHIP to include citizens of 
the Freely Associated States.
Page S8386
  Akaka Amendment No. 979, to ensure that current prescription drug 
benefits to Medicare-eligible enrollees in the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits Program will not be diminished.
Page S8386
  Bingaman Amendment No. 972, to provide reimbursement for Federally 
qualified health centers participating in medicare managed care. 
                                                             Page S8386
  Bingaman Amendment No. 973, to amend title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act to provide for the authorization of reimbursement for all 
Medicare part B services furnished by certain Indian hospitals and 
clinics.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Edwards) Modified Amendment No. 985, to strengthen 
protections for consumers against misleading direct-to-consumer drug 
advertising.
Pages S8386, S8423-24
  Baucus (for Lautenberg) Amendment No. 986, to make prescription drug 
coverage available beginning on July 1, 2004.
Page S8386
  Murray Amendment No. 990, to make improvements in the 
MedicareAdvantage benchmark determinations.
Page S8386
  Harkin Amendment No. 991, to establish a demonstration project under 
the Medicaid program to encourage the provision of community-based 
services to individuals with disabilities.
Page S8386
  Dayton Amendment No. 960, to require a streamlining of the Medicare 
regulations.
Page S8386
  Dayton Amendment No. 977, to require that benefits be made available 
under part D on January 1, 2004.
Page S8386
  Baucus (for Stabenow) Amendment No. 992, to clarify that the Medicaid 
statute does not prohibit a State from entering into drug rebate 
agreements in order to make outpatient prescription drugs accessible 
and affordable for residents of the State who are not otherwise 
eligible for medical assistance under the Medicaid program. 
                                                             Page S8386
  Baucus (for Dorgan) Amendment No. 993, to amend title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act to provide for coverage of cardiovascular screening 
tests under the Medicare program.
Page S8386
  Grassley Amendment No. 974, to enhance competition for prescription 
drugs by increasing the ability of the Department of Justice and 
Federal Trade Commission to enforce existing antitrust laws regarding 
brand name drugs and generic drugs.
Page S8386, S8430-31
  Durbin Amendment No. 994, to deliver a meaningful benefit and lower 
prescription drug prices.
Page S8386
  Smith/Bingaman Amendment No. 962, to provide reimbursement for 
Federally qualified health centers participating in Medicare managed 
care.
Pages S8396-S8400
  Hutchison Amendment No. 1004, to amend title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act to freeze the indirect medical education adjustment 
percentage under the Medicare program at 6.5 percent.
Pages S8400-01
  Sessions Amendment No. 1011, to express the sense of the Senate that 
the Committee on Finance should hold hearings regarding permitting 
States to provide health benefits to legal immigrants under Medicaid 
and SCHIP as part of the reauthorization of the temporary assistance 
for needy families program.
Pages S8404-05, S8424-26

[[Page D720]]


  Sununu Amendment No. 1010, to improve outpatient vision services 
under part B of the Medicare program.
Page S8407
  Conrad Amendment No. 1019, to provide for coverage of self-injected 
biologicals under part B of the Medicare program until Medicare 
Prescription Drug plans are available.
Pages S8415, S8417-18
  Conrad Amendment No. 1020, to permanently and fully equalize the 
standardized payment rate beginning in fiscal year 2004. 
                                                  Pages S8415-16, S8417
  Conrad Amendment No. 1021, to address Medicare payment inequities. 
                                                         Pages S8416-17
  Clinton Amendment No. 1000, to study the comparative effectiveness 
and safety of important Medicare covered drugs to ensure that consumers 
can make meaningful comparisons about the quality and efficacy. 
                                               Pages S8418-21, S8422-23
  Clinton Amendment No. 999, to provide for the development of quality 
indicators for the priority areas of the Institute of Medicine, for the 
standardization of quality indicators for Federal agencies, and for the 
establishment of a demonstration program for the reporting of health 
care quality data at the community level.
Pages S8418-19
  Clinton Amendment No. 953, to provide training to long-term care 
ombudsman.
Pages S8421-22
  Clinton Amendment No. 954, to require the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services to develop literacy standards for informational 
materials, particularly drug information.
Page S8422
  Reid (for Boxer) Amendment No. 1036, to eliminate the coverage gap 
for individuals with cancer.
Page S8424
  Reid (for Corzine) Amendment No. 1037, to permit Medicare 
beneficiaries to use Federally qualified health centers to fill their 
prescriptions.
Page S8424
  Reid (for Jeffords) Amendment No. 1038, to improve the critical 
access hospital program.
Page S8424
  Reid (for Inouye) Amendment No. 1039, to amend title XIX of the 
Social Security Act to provide 100 percent reimbursement for medical 
assistance provided to a Native Hawaiian through a Federally-qualified 
health center or a Native Hawaiian health care system.
Page S8424
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 10 a.m., 
on Wednesday, June 25, 2003, with the approval of both the Majority 
Leader and the Democratic Leader, Senate proceed to vote on or in 
relation to an amendment by Senator Grassley or his designee regarding 
the benchmark, and that no amendment be in order to the amendment prior 
to the vote.
Page S8478
  A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing for further 
consideration of the bill at 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, June 25, 2003. 
                                                             Page S8478
Messages From the House:
  Page S8436
Measures Referred:
  Page S8436
Measures Read First Time:
  Page S8478
Enrolled Bills Presented:
  Page S8437
Executive Communications:
  Pages S8437-38
Additional Cosponsors:
  Pages S8439-41
Statements on Introduced Bills/Resolutions:
  Pages S8441-45
Additional Statements:
  Pages S8435-36
Amendments Submitted:
  Pages S8445-76
Notices of Hearings/Meetings:
  Page S8476
Authority for Committees to Meet:
  Pages S8476-78
Privilege of the Floor:
  Page S8478
Record Votes: Nine record votes were taken today. (Total--241) 
                    Pages S8395-96, S8402-03, S8404, S8408-09, S8414-15
Adjournment: Senate met at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 9:13 p.m., until 
9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, June 25, 2003. (For Senate's program, see the 
remarks of the Majority Leader in today's Record on page S8478.)