[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S4621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Nelson 
        of Florida, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Carper, Mr. Talent, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. 
        Snowe, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Burns, Mr. 
        Conrad, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 2810. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
eliminate months in 2006 from the calculation of any late enrollment 
penalty under the Medicare part D prescription drug program and to 
provide for additional funding for State health insurance counseling 
program and area agencies on aging, and for other purposes; read the 
first time.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.

                                S. 2810

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Late Enrollment 
     Assistance Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF MONTHS IN 2006 FROM THE CALCULATION OF 
                   ANY LATE ENROLLMENT PENALTY UNDER MEDICARE PART 
                   D.

       (a) Elimination.--Section 1860D-13(b)(3)(B) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1895w-113(b)(3)(B)) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new sentence: ``In no case 
     shall any month in 2006 be considered to be an uncovered 
     month under this subsection.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of section 
     101(a) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
     Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173; 117 Stat. 
     2071).

     SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STATE HEALTH INSURANCE 
                   COUNSELING PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Out of any funds in the Treasury not 
     otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $13,000,000 to 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 
     2007, for the purpose of providing grants to States for State 
     health insurance counseling programs receiving assistance 
     under section 4360 of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1990.
       (b) Allocation.--
       (1) Allocation based on percentage of low-income 
     beneficiaries.--The amount of a grant to a State under this 
     section from \1/2\ of the total amount made available under 
     subsection (a) shall be based on the number of individuals 
     that meet the requirement under section 1860D-
     14(a)(3)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395w-114(a)(3)(A)(ii)) relative to the total number of 
     part D eligible individuals (as defined in section 1860D-
     l(a)(3)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-101(a)(3))) in 
     each State, as estimated by the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services.
       (2) Allocation based on percentage of rural 
     beneficiaries.--The amount of a grant to a State under this 
     section from \1/2\ of the total amount made available under 
     subsection (a) shall be based on the number of part D 
     eligible individuals (as so defined) residing in a rural area 
     (as determined by the Administrator of the Centers for 
     Medicare & Medicaid Services) relative to the total number of 
     such individuals in each State, as estimated by the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services.
       (c) Availability.--Amounts made available under subsection 
     (a) shall remain available--
       (1) for obligation until November 1, 2006; and
       (2) for expenditure until June 30, 2008.

     SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR AREA AGENCIES ON AGING.

       (a) In General.--Out of any funds in the Treasury not 
     otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $5,000,000 to 
     the Secretary of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 
     2007, to enable the Assistant Secretary on Aging to provide 
     grants to States for area agencies on aging (as defined in 
     section 102 of the Older American Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
     3002)). Such assistance shall be used to provide eligible 
     Medicare beneficiaries with information regarding benefits 
     under title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
       (b) Allocation Based on Percentage of Low-Income and Rural 
     Beneficiaries.--The amount of a grant to a State under this 
     section from the total amount made available under subsection 
     (a) shall be determined in the same manner as the amount of a 
     grant to a State under section 4 from the total amount made 
     available under subsection (a) of such section is determined 
     under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of such 
     section.
       (c) Availibility.--Amounts made available under subsection 
     (a) shall remain available--
       (1) for obligation until November 1, 2006; and
       (2) for expenditure until June 30, 2008.

     SEC. 5. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE REGIONAL PLAN STABILIZATION FUND 
                   REVISIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 1858(e)(5) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-27a(e)(5)) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(C) Additional Limitation.--In no case may the total 
     expenditures from the Fund--
       ``(I) prior to October 1, 2007, exceed $566,000,000;
       ``(II) during the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and 
     ending on September 30, 2011, exceed $4,507,000,000.''
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of section 
     221(c) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
     Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173; 117 Stat. 
     2181).
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