INSURANCE

Amendments

Agriculture: improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk (S. 2251), S1566, S1573, S1612, S1615 [22MR]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), S1631 [23MR]

Budget: improve and strengthen budget process (H.R. 853), H2771, H2779 [9MY], H3108, H3116, H3128, H3134, H3136, H3137, H3141 [16MY]

———improve and strengthen budget process (H.R. 853), consideration (H. Res. 499), H3091 [16MY]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: provide cost-of-living adjustment for service-connected disability benefits and enhance programs providing compensation and life insurance benefits for veterans (H.R. 4850), S10483, S10516 [12OC], H9911 [17OC]

Disasters: authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (H.R. 707), S7255 [19JY], S9968, S10011 [5OC], H9562 [10OC]

———authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (S. 1691), S4116 [17MY]

Federal employees: establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (H.R. 4040), S7802 [27JY], H7181 [27JY]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (S. 2420), S7575 [25JY]

———make the same health insurance options afforded to executive and judicial branch employees available to Federal annuitants, legislative branch employees, and Armed Forces members and retirees (H.R. 4277), S9530 [28SE]

Health: application of antitrust laws to labor negotiations by groups of health care professionals with HMO's (H.R. 1304), H5169 [26JN], H5636, H5637, H5639, H5641, H5643, H5644, H5647, H5657 [29JN]

Health Care Financing Administration: reform the regulatory processes used to administer the Medicare program (S. 2999), S9293 [26SE]

Medicaid: coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), Senate amendment (H. Res. 628), H9847 [12OC]

Small business: protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), H474, H476, H478, H479 [16FE]

Taxation: repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (H.R. 4865), H7166 [27JY]

Analyses

Federal Employees and Uniformed Services Group Long-Term Care Insurance Act (S. 2218), S1321 [8MR]

Financial Information Privacy Protection Act (S. 2513), S3535 [4MY]

Health Care Provider Bill of Rights (S. 2999), S8097-S8099 [6SE]

Protection of Enrollees in Managed Health Care Plans and HMO's: Sara Rosenbaum, David M. Frankford, and Rand E. Rosenblatt, S7516 [25JY]

Appointments

Conferees: H.R. 2559, Risk Management for the 21st Century Act, S1642 [23MR], H1621 [30MR]

Articles and editorials

Ad Blitz Erodes Democrats' Edge on Prescription Drugs, S11290 [27OC]

Bush Hits Gore on Drugs, Taxes, S8631 [15SE]

Canada's Medicine Won't Cure U.S. System, E1104 [23JN]

Contract Not Now Mentioned—Tax Reduction for Social Security Benefits Would Aid Elderly Payers, E1414 [6SE]

Crop Insurance an Improvement—With New Insurance Type, Farmers Can Finally Control Part of Their Operations, E534 [11AP]

Discrimination Goes High-Tech, S6077 [29JN]

DNA Dilemma—Gene Tests Can Cost You, S6076 [29JN]

Dual Edged Sword of Medicare Reimbursement—The Medicare Provider and Health Maintenance Organization Perspective, E2041-E2043 [31OC]

Full Hospitals Make Canadians Wait and Look South, H94 [1FE]

Gene Privacy, S6076 [29JN]

Gene Secrets—Clinton Right To Oppose Genetic Discrimination, S6077 [29JN]

Georgia Regulatory Agency To Lead Investigation Into Insurer's Rates for Black Customers, E2209 [15DE]

Ground Rules for DNA Sampling, S6077 [29JN]

Issue No. 1—Health-Care System Wanted, E1910 [25OC]

Live a Little, E1226 [13JY]

One Thing I Would Change About Congress . . . Entitlement Reform the Way To Go, H516 [29FE]

Prescription Drug Costs—Has Canada Found the Answer?, E1673 [4OC]

Reckonings—Prescription for Failure, E1346 [27JY]

Say Goodbye to the Surplus, S11327 [29OC]

Three-Part Attack on Gore, S8750 [19SE]

Tragedy Hits Family Doubly Hard—Lack of Insurance Adds to Family's Pain in Loss of Only Child, E200 [29FE]

$200,000 of FDIC Insurance? The Battle Has Just Begun, S11897 [15DE]

Why the High Cost of Prescription Drugs Is a Problem We Can't Afford To Ignore, H5309 [28JN]

Bills and resolutions

Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund: allocate accruing interest to cover health care costs for certain miners (see S. 2584), S4103 [17MY] (see H.R. 4144), H1628 [30MR]

Agriculture: improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk (see S. 2251), S1461 [20MR]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), consideration of conference report (see H. Res. 512), H3812 [24MY]

Alaska: increase the Federal medical assistance percentage (see S. 2693), S4820 [8JN]

Armed Forces: improve access to treatment facilities, provide Medicare reimbursement, and permit enrollment in Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for veterans and their dependents (see H.R. 4124), H1588 [29MR]

———improve TRICARE program (see H.R. 4418), H2905 [10MY]

———improve TRICARE program and extend and improve certain demonstration programs under the Defense Health Program (see S. 2087), S741 [23FE] (see S. 2486), S3192 [1MY] (see H.R. 4369), H2511 [3MY]

———permit certain members of the Individual Ready Reserve to participate in the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Program (see H.R. 4376), H2605 [4MY]

———provide improved benefits training to members to enhance retention (see H.R. 4388), H2606 [4MY]

———provide that covered beneficiaries shall not be required to pay a copayment for health care services received under TRICARE Prime (see H.R. 3565), H164 [1FE]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (see S. 2003), S37 [24JA] (see S. 2013), S113 [27JA] (see S. 2669), S4564 [6JN] (see H.R. 3573), H209 [2FE]

Budget: improve and strengthen budget process (see H.R. 4397), H2769 [9MY]

———improve and strengthen budget process (H.R. 853), consideration (see H. Res. 499), H2905 [10MY]

Business and industry: limit the administrative expenses and profits of managed care entities to a certain percentage of premium revenues (see S. 2975), S7840 [27JY]

———require large employers to notify their employees of the amount paid by the employer for employee health coverage (see H.R. 5440), H9767 [11OC]

Children and youth: expand access to health care (see H.R. 4932), H6777 [24JY]

———guarantee comprehensive health care coverage for all children (see S. 2515), S3514 [4MY] (see H.R. 4390), H2606 [4MY]

———require comprehensive coverage for childhood immunizations (see S. 2444), S2728 [13AP] (see H.R. 4563), H3868 [25MY]

———restore children's insurance benefits in the case of children of a certain age who attend postsecondary schools (see H.R. 4873), H6469 [18JY] (see H.R. 5329), H8406 [27SE]

Claims: require that group and individual health insurance plans and Medicare+Choice organizations provide prompt payment of claims (see H.R. 3993), H1077 [15MR]

Consumers: establish grants for States to establish health insurance consumer assistance programs (see S. 2819), S6121 [29JN]

Courts: waive Federal preemption of State laws in cases awarding punitive damages against moving companies engaging in unfair practices in processing of property claims (see S. 2369), S2347 [6AP] (see H.R. 5060), H7208 [27JY]

Crime: treatment of the interception of electronic communications (see H.R. 5018), H7206 [27JY]

Dept. of Defense: make certain improvements to the military health care system (see H.R. 3655), H454 [15FE]

———participation of certain Medicare-eligible individuals in pharmacy programs (see H.R. 3697), H510 [16FE]

Dept. of HHS: make grants to hospitals, with National Housing Act insured mortgages, for conversion and re-utilization of excess capacity (see H.R. 5255), H7991 [21SE]

Dept. of HUD: conduct a study of developing residential mortgage programs that provide low-cost health insurance in connection with low-cost mortgages (see H.R. 4348), H2410 [2MY]

Dept. of the Treasury: establish HMO Guaranty Fund to provide payments to States to pay outstanding health care provider claims of insolvent HMO's (see S. 3261), S11374 [30OC]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: provide cost-of-living adjustment for service-connected disability benefits and enhance programs providing compensation and life insurance benefits for veterans (see H.R. 4850), H6051 [13JY]

Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act: include airplane and rail accidents within the meaning of the term ``major disaster'' (see S. 2543), S3916 [11MY]

Disasters: authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (H.R. 707), concur with Senate amendment (see H. Res. 607), H8735 [3OC]

ERISA: provide emergency protection for retiree health benefits (see H.R. 5405), H9011 [5OC]

FDIC: merge deposit insurance funds (see H.R. 3899), H921 [9MR]

———provide coverage for municipal deposits (see S. 3018), S8197 [7SE]

Federal Deposit Insurance Act: require periodic cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance available (see S. 2589), S4190 [18MY] (see S. 2798), S5884 [27JN] (see H.R. 4467), H3172 [16MY]

———require periodic cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance available contingent on steady reserve ratios (see H.R. 4674), H4590 [15JN]

Federal employees: availability of health coverage for dependent parents (see H.R. 4813), H5736 [10JY]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (see S. 2218), S1315 [8MR] (see S. 2420), S2727 [13AP] (see H.R. 4040), H1162 [21MR]

———make the same health insurance options afforded to executive and judicial branch employees available to Federal annuitants, legislative branch employees, and Armed Forces members and retirees (see H.R. 4277), H2337 [13AP]

FHA: prevent the premature shutdown of certain mortgage insurance programs (see H.R. 5256), H7991 [21SE]

———provide for the cancellation of mortgage insurance for mortgages on single family homes (see H.R. 5338), H8468 [28SE]

———require partial rebates of mortgage insurance premiums to certain mortgagors upon payment of their FHA-insured mortgages (see S. 2914), S7542 [25JY] (see H.R. 4795), H5654 [29JN]

Financial institutions: allow payment of Financing Corporation interest obligations from excess deposit insurance fund reserves (see S. 2293), S1747 [27MR] (see H.R. 4082), H1405 [23MR]

———prohibit use or sharing of medical health records or information (see S. 2863), S6677 [13JY]

———require studies on the impact of increasing the maximum amount of deposit insurance per depositor (see H.R. 4603), H4120 [8JN]

———strengthen consumer control over use and disclosure of personal financial and health information (see S. 2513), S3514 [4MY] (see H.R. 4380), H2605 [4MY] (see H.R. 4585), H3924 [6JN]

Floods: ensure homeowners are provided adequate notice of flood map changes and a fair opportunity to appeal such changes (see H.R. 4803), H5655 [29JN]

Health: allow certain retirees who lose employer-based coverage to acquire coverage under Medicare or COBRA and require employers to notify retirees of any changes in their health benefits (see H.R. 3631), H340 [10FE]

———application of antitrust laws to labor negotiations by groups of health care professionals with HMO's (H.R. 1304), consideration (see H. Res. 542), H5435 [28JN]

———constitutional amendment on the right to high quality health care (see H.J. Res. 96), H2012 [10AP]

———coverage of infertility treatment (see S. 2160), S1117 [2MR]

———coverage of long-term care services (see H. Con. Res. 412), H8406 [27SE]

———encourage employer selection of freedom-of-choice health coverage (see H.R. 5568), H11206 [26OC]

———establish Alzheimer's clinical research and training awards, expand Medicare definition of homebound relative to home health services, and revise tax treatment of long-term care insurance (see H.R. 4029), H1119 [16MR]

———establish demonstration projects for States to provide universal, comprehensive, and cost-effective health care coverage with simplified administration (see H.R. 4412), H2770 [9MY]

———expand health care access and choice of coverage through Individual Membership Associations (see H.R. 4119), H1587 [29MR]

———improve access to health care services for uninsured and low-income individuals in medically under served areas (see S. Res. 260), S799 [24FE]

———improve access to health insurance and Medicare benefits for individuals aged 55 to 65 and allow tax credits for payment of such premiums and COBRA coverage premiums (see S. 2918), S7542 [25JY]

———increase access to long-term health care (see S. 2935), S7656 [26JY]

———increase State immunization programs funding (see S. 2443), S2728 [13AP] (see H. Con. Res. 315), H2511 [3MY]

———limit increase in health insurance company premiums to certain buyers of coverage in individual markets (see H.R. 3527), H48 [27JA]

———limit medical malpractice claims (see H.R. 5344), H8468 [28SE]

———make Federal Employees Health Benefits Program available to general public (see H.R. 5115), H7280 [6SE]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (see S. 2888), S7229 [19JY] (see S. 3172), S9945 [5OC] (see H.R. 3528), H48 [27JA] (see H.R. 4992), H7205 [27JY] (see H.R. 5551), H11194 [25OC]

———prevent group and individual health insurance coverage, and group health plans, from seeking to recover more than costs in cases of third party recoveries (see H.R. 3765), H573 [29FE]

———prohibit health insurance and employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information (H.R. 2457), consideration (see H. Res. 520), H4174 [9JN]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's (see S. 3057, 3058), S8635 [15SE] (see H.R. 5628), H11842 [3NO]

———provide for health care liability reform (see H.R. 5092), H7209 [27JY] (see H.R. 5119), H7280 [6SE]

———provide grants to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, and coordination of services for the uninsured and underinsured (see H.R. 4970), H7128 [26JY]

———reduce paperwork and improve payment policies for services, and prevent fraud and abuse through health care provider education (see H.R. 5094), H7209 [27JY]

———require States to provide a minimum level of access to health care to all citizens as a condition for participation in Federal health care funding programs (see H.R. 4075), H1405 [23MR]

———sustain access to vital emergency medical services in rural areas (see S. 3125), S9381 [27SE]

———treatment of fertility and impotence in health care coverage under group health plans, health insurance coverage, and health plans under the Federal employees' health benefits program (see H.R. 4532), H3812 [24MY]

Health care facilities: modify qualifications for community mental health centers and postpone application of Medicare prospective payment system to partial hospitalization services (see H.R. 5055), H7208 [27JY]

Health Care Financing Administration: reform the regulatory processes used to administer the Medicare program (see S. 2999), S7840 [27JY]

Health Care Infrastructure Advisory Commission: establish (see H.R. 5622), H11812 [2NO]

Interstate commerce: require insurers engaged in interstate commerce to fully compensate the insured before exercising any right under a subrogation or reimbursement clause (see H.R. 4116), H1587 [29MR]

Medicaid: apply aggregate upper payment limits to non-State publicly owned or operated facilities (see S. 3187), S10252 [11OC]

———apply the disproportionate share hospital payment transition rule to public hospitals (see S. 3255), S11252 [27OC] (see H.R. 5621), H11781 [1NO]

———assure preservation of safety net hospitals through maintenance of Disproportionate Share Hospital Program (see S. 2308), S1815 [28MR] (see H.R. 3710), H572 [29FE]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (see H.R. 4386), H2606 [4MY]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), Senate amendment (see H. Res. 628), H9766 [11OC]

———coverage of community-based attendant services (see H.R. 4416), H2905 [10MY]

———implement regulations clarifying allowable costs for school-based health services provided to children with disabilities (see S. 3088), S8941 [21SE] (see H.R. 5248), H7990 [21SE]

———increase the personal needs allowance for institutionalized individuals under Medicare (see H.R. 5087), H7209 [27JY]

———permit additional States to enter into long-term care partnerships in order to promote the use of long-term care insurance (see H.R. 5002), H7206 [27JY]

———provide families and disabled children with the opportunity to purchase coverage (see S. 2274), S1596 [22MR] (see H.R. 4825), H5954 [12JY]

———provide public access to quality medical imaging procedures and radiation therapy procedures (see H.R. 5274), H8061 [25SE]

———provide States with the option of covering intensive community mental health treatment (see H.R. 5572), H11206 [26OC]

———remove the cap on payments for Puerto Rico and certain other territories and adjust the statutory matching rate (see H.R. 5126), H7364 [7SE]

———State requirements for financial recovery from an individuals estate relative to any medical assistance under a State health plan (see H.R. 3912), H996 [14MR]

———waive disproportionate share hospital designation for certain rural hospitals relative to obstetrician requirements (see H.R. 4793), H5654 [29JN]

Medicare: adjust wages and wage-related costs for certain items and services furnished in geographically reclassified hospitals (see S. 2241), S1392 [9MR]

———allow tax deduction for Medigap and Medicare+Choice plans including outpatient prescription drug and long-term care benefits, and establish new Medigap policies including such benefits (see S. 2237), S1392 [9MR]

———assure quality of care to beneficiaries and reduce the incidence of medical errors (see H.R. 5404), H9011 [5OC]

———clarify definition of homebound relative to home health services (see S. 2298), S1747 [27MR] (see S. 3106), S9195 [25SE] (see H.R. 5067), H7208 [27JY] (see H.R. 5303), H8200 [26SE]

———combat fraud and abuse relative to partial hospitalization services (see H.R. 5449), H9767 [11OC]

———conduct study on physician reimbursement rates for diagnosis, treatment, and management of Alzheimer's disease (see H.R. 4016), H1118 [16MR]

———correct reductions to service providers payment rates previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act (see H.R. 4937), H6777 [24JY]

———coverage for surgical first assisting services of certified registered nurse first assistants (see H.R. 3911), H996 [14MR]

———coverage of adult day care services (see S. 2826), S6121 [29JN]

———coverage of ambulance services to certain rural outpatient facilities (see H.R. 4549), H3867 [25MY]

———coverage of augmentative communication devices (see H.R. 4479), H3308 [17MY]

———coverage of bone mass measurements (see S. 2524), S3692 [9MY]

———coverage of coordinated lifestyle changes program relative to heart attack prevention (see H.R. 4107), H1476 [28MR]

———coverage of drugs and biologicals (see H.R. 5501), H10472 [19OC]

———coverage of glaucoma detection services (see S. 3024), S8342 [11SE]

———coverage of home health services (see H.R. 4874), H6469 [18JY]

———coverage of inpatient hospital services in Puerto Rico (see S. 3037), S8413 [12SE]

———coverage of medically appropriate actinic keratoses treatment and removal (see H. Con. Res. 341), H3868 [25MY]

———coverage of medically necessary pancreas transplantation procedures (see H.R. 4495), H3412 [18MY]

———coverage of oral drugs to treat low blood calcium levels or elevated parathyroid hormone levels for patients with end stage renal disease (see H.R. 4628), H4174 [9JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (see S. 2758), S5460 [20JN] (see S. 2836), S6257 [30JN] (see S. 3016, 3017), S8197 [7SE] (see S. 3107), S9267 [26SE] (see H.R. 4149), H1674 [3AP] (see H.R. 4607), H4120 [8JN] (see H.R. 4743), H5168 [26JN] (see H.R. 4770), H5240 [27JN] (see H.R. 5151), H7501 [12SE] (see H. Res. 435), H756 [8MR]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and enhanced preventative benefits (see S. 2541), S3832 [10MY] (see S. 2753), S5360 [19JN]

———coverage of pharmaceutical care services (see H.R. 5140), H7365 [7SE]

———coverage of screening mammography, pap smears, and pelvic exams (see H.R. 4330), H2339 [13AP]

———coverage of screening pap smears and pelvic exams (see S. 3141), S9605 [2OC] (see H.R. 4571), H3868 [25MY]

———coverage of self-administered drugs that, when used as a replacement for covered drugs, result in overall cost savings to the program (see H.R. 4375), H2511 [3MY]

———create official website that allows beneficiaries to purchase safe and competitively priced domestic and international prescription drugs (see H.R. 5142), H7365 [7SE]

———eliminate discriminatory copayment rates, add intensive residential services, and expand the number of eligible professionals relative to mental health care services (see S. 3233), S10999 [25OC]

———eliminate discriminatory copayment rates for outpatient psychiatric services (see H.R. 5434), H9634 [10OC]

———eliminate reduction in payment rates to home health agencies for home health services (see S. 2365), S2233 [5AP] (see H.R. 4219), H1957 [6AP]

———eliminate reduction in the market basket percentage under the prospective payment system for payments to small rural hospitals (see H.R. 4996), H7206 [27JY]

———enhance the critical access hospital program (see S. 2600), S4237 [22MY]

———ensure adequacy of digital mammography payments (see S. 3112), S9267 [26SE] (see H.R. 5088), H7209 [27JY] (see H.R. 5172), H7577 [13SE]

———ensure reimbursement for certain ambulance services, apply reasonable standard to determination of medical necessity for ambulance services, and recognize additional costs of ambulance services in rural areas (see S. 2858), S6677 [13JY] (see H.R. 5153), H7501 [12SE]

———establish a demonstration project to stabilize coverage and benefits under the Medicare+Choice Program (see H.R. 4555), H3867 [25MY]

———establish a hospice demonstration and grant program for beneficiaries (see S. 3026), S8412 [12SE]

———establish a minimum adjustment to payments to hospitals for costs attributable to wages (see H.R. 4998), H7206 [27JY]

———establish a physician recruitment and retention project (see S. 3167), S9944 [5OC]

———establish a special payment rate for psychiatric hospital services (see H.R. 4702), H4783 [20JN]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs (see S. 2319), S1884 [29MR]

———establish standards for payment of certain orthotic, prosthetic, and pedorthic devices (see H.R. 5156), H7502 [12SE]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (see S. 2644), S4460 [25MY] (see S. 2957), S7839 [27JY]

———expand coverage of durable medical equipment to include physician prescribed equipment necessary for unpaid caregivers (see H.R. 5017), H7206 [27JY]

———expand definition of homebound relative to home health services to allow beneficiaries to attend adult day care programs for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other conditions (see H.R. 4028), H1119 [16MR]

———extend community nursing organization demonstration projects (see H.R. 5080), H7209 [27JY]

———geographic reclassification of a county to provide for more equitable payments to hospitals located in that county (see H.R. 5108), H7280 [6SE]

———improve access to benefits for certain individuals and provide financial assistance to individuals who are too poor to afford premiums (see H.R. 3529), H48 [27JA]

———improve access to health insurance by offering certain individuals a Medicare buy-in option and allow tax credit for payment of premiums (see H.R. 4938), H6777 [24JY]

———improve access to Medicare+Choice plans through an increase in annual capitation rates (see S. 2937), S7656 [26JY]

———improve fee-for-services reimbursement rates in rural States (see S. 2610), S4297 [23MY]

———improve geographic fairness in Medicare+Choice payments and hospital payments (see H.R. 5070), H7208 [27JY]

———improve health of senior citizens and disabled individuals (see S. 2727), S5106 [14JN]

———improve Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital program (see S. 2768), S5662 [22JN] (see H.R. 4997), H7206 [27JY]

———improve methodology for the calculation of Medicare+Choice program payment rates (see S. 3029), S8412 [12SE] (see H.R. 4951), H7002 [25JY]

———improve payments under the Medicare+Choice program (see H.R. 4236), H2122 [11AP]

———improve payments under the outpatient prospective payment system (see H.R. 5003), H7206 [27JY]

———improve the manner in which new medical technologies are made available to beneficiaries (see S. 3082), S8823 [20SE] (see H.R. 4395), H2654 [8MY]

———increase access to health care for beneficiaries through telehealth services (see H.R. 4841), H5955 [12JY]

———increase access to health care for beneficiaries through telemedicine (see S. 2505), S3513 [4MY] (see H.R. 4771), H5240 [27JN]

———increase awareness of the availability of cost-sharing assistance to eligible low-income beneficiaries (see S. 2814), S6121 [29JN] (see H.R. 4797), H5654 [29JN]

———increase payment amount and establish an annual payment review process for renal dialysis services (see H.R. 5152), H7501 [12SE]

———increase payment amount for renal dialysis services (see S. 3038), S8413 [12SE]

———increase payment rates to Medicare+Choice organizations to correct inequities in rural and urban areas (see H.R. 5288), H8061 [25SE]

———increase proportion of charges recognized for mental health services furnished to qualified beneficiaries residing in congregate residences (see H.R. 4950), H7002 [25JY]

———increase the percentage of bad hospital debt that is reimbursable (see H.R. 4878), H6469 [18JY]

———limit reductions in Federal payments under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services (see S. 3028), S8412 [12SE]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program (see S. 2905), S7448 [21JY] (see H.R. 5039), H7207 (see H.R. 5099), H7209 [27JY] (see H.R. 5320), H8405 [27SE] (see H.R. 5614), H11781 [1NO]

———make improvements to the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facility services (see S. 3050), S8585 [14SE]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (see S. 2342), S2106 [4AP] (see S. 2807), S6015 [28JN] (see H.R. 4680), H4591 [15JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (see H. Res. 539), H5239 [27JN]

———modify billing requirements for certain Indian health care providers (see S. 3270), S11537 [14NO]

———payment of claims by health care providers against insolvent Medicare+Choice organizations (see S. 2110), S867 [28FE] (see H.R. 4087), H1405 [23MR]

———payments made under the prospective payment system for home health services (see H.R. 4727), H5036 [22JN]

———preserve access to outpatient cancer treatment by ensuring any changes in reimbursement rates are based on appropriate guidelines and analysis by GAO (see S. 3003), S8019 [5SE]

———preserve essential rural hospitals (see H.R. 5220), H7932 [20SE]

———prohibit the use of risk-based managed care payments for certain administrative costs (see H.R. 3682), H509 [16FE]

———promote research for health promotion and disease prevention and add preventive benefits (see S. 2232), S1392 [9MR] (see H.R. 3887), H920 [9MR]

———protect beneficiaries under the Medicare+Choice program (see H.R. 4356), H2410 [2MY]

———protect right of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare+Choice plans to receive services at any skilled nursing facility (see H.R. 5042), H7207 [27JY]

———provide appropriate transition from interim payment system to prospective payment system for home health services (see S. 2835), S6257 [30JN]

———provide attending physicians greater authority in determining whether a beneficiary is eligible for hospice care (see H.R. 5222), H7932 [20SE]

———provide bad hospital debt relief to certain facilities and provide beneficiaries with cost-sharing under Medicaid (see S. 2981), S7840 [27JY]

———provide beneficiaries with accurate and understandable managed care information and negotiate with Medicare+Choice organizations to improve and expand benefit plans (see H.R. 4753), H5168 [26JN]

———provide comprehensive and coordinated care for individuals with serious and disabling chronic illnesses (see H.R. 4981), H7128 [26JY]

———provide for equitable reimbursement rates to Medicare+Choice organizations (see S. 2974), S7840 [27JY] (see H.R. 4968), H7127 [26JY]

———provide for equity in the amount of disproportionate share payment adjustments between urban and rural hospitals (see H.R. 4995), H7206 [27JY]

———provide for moratorium on mandatory delay of payment of claims and establish advanced informational infrastructure for administration of Federal health benefit programs (see S. 2312), S1883 [29MR] (see H.R. 4401), H2769 [9MY]

———provide guidance to health care providers attempting to properly submit claims and target truly fraudulent activity for enforcement of billing regulations rather than inadvertent errors (see S. 3131), S9466 [28SE] (see H.R. 5200), H7722 [18SE]

———provide off-budget treatment for the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund (see H.R. 3640), H341 [10FE]

———provide relief for small business from consolidated billing requirements and exclude services of certain providers from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system (see H.R. 5392), H9010 [5OC]

———redesignate ``Medicare+Choice'' as ``Medicare-No-Choice'' (see H.R. 5558), H11194 [25OC]

———reduce waiting period for benefits for disabled individuals (see H.R. 5556), H11194 [25OC]

———reductions in prescription drug prices for beneficiaries and women with breast cancer (see H.R. 5467), H9900 [12OC]

———reimburse essential access home health providers for costs for services in rural areas (see S. 2992), S7840 [27JY]

———require wage adjustment of actual, rather than estimated proportion of a hospital's costs that are attributable to wages and wage-related costs (see S. 2828), S6121 [29JN]

———revise and improve (see H.R. 5296), H8199 [26SE]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (see S. 2018), S213 [1FE] (see H.R. 3576), H212 [3FE] (see H.R. 3580), H219 [7FE]

———revise payments for certain physician pathology services (see S. 3055), S8585 [14SE] (see H.R. 5209), H7870 [19SE]

———revise the calculation of base payment rates for the prospective payment system for home health services (see S. 2766), S5662 [22JN] (see S. 3034), S8413 [12SE] (see H.R. 4623), H4173 [9JN] (see H.R. 5163), H7577 [13SE]

———State accreditation of diabetes self-management training programs (see S. 3084), S8823 [20SE] (see H.R. 5074), H7209 [27JY]

———use of additional projected surplus funds to supplement funding previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act (see H. Res. 535), H5240 [27JN]

———waive late enrollment penalty for certain beneficiaries living abroad and provide a special Medigap open enrollment period which prohibits underwriting (see H.R. 5197), H7722 [18SE]

———waive waiting period for coverage of individuals disabled with AIDS and provide coverage of drugs used for treatment (see H.R. 4557), H3867 [25MY]

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act: implementation of a prospective payment system for psychiatric hospitals (see S. 2556), S3946 [15MY]

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission: conduct a study on certain hospital costs (see S. 3161), S9944 [5OC]

Medicare/Medicaid: assure financial solvency of Medicare+Choice organizations and Medicaid managed care organizations (see H.R. 3690), H510 [16FE]

———improve patient safety by reducing medical errors (see S. 2378), S2347 [6AP]

———require certain staffing in nursing facilities (see H.R. 5166), H7577 [13SE]

———require criminal background checks for nursing facility workers (see S. 3066), S8759 [19SE]

———require nursing facilities to be air conditioned to receive funding (see H.R. 4898), H6717 [20JY]

Mental health: protect individuals who need mental health services (see S. 3238), S10999 [25OC]

National objectives: policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (see H.R. 3528), H48 [27JA]

NRC: renew authority to indemnify licensees (see S. 2292), S1671 [23MR]

OPM: administer a national health program to offer Federal employee health benefits plans to individuals who are not Federal employees (see S. 3284), S11917 [15DE]

Patients Before Paperwork Medicare Red Tape Reduction Commission: establish (see S. 2708), S4820 [8JN] (see H.R. 5334), H8468 [28SE]

Pharmaceuticals: provide access and choice for use of generic drugs under Federal health care programs (see S. 2501), S3328 [3MY]

Public Health Service Act: prohibit discrimination relative to exposure to hazardous substances (see H.R. 4939), H6777 [24JY]

Real estate: authorize a homeowner to recover treble damages from the homeowner's mortgage escrow servicer for failure to make timely payments for homeowners insurance, taxes, or other charges (see H.R. 4905), H6717 [20JY]

Safety Net Organizations and Patient Advisory Commission: establish (see S. 3035), S8413 [12SE] (see H.R. 5162), H7502 [12SE]

Senior citizens: establish a consumer price index for elderly consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security benefits (see H.R. 4551), H3867 [25MY]

———increase accountability of nursing facilities and ensure adequate nurse staffing for patient needs in the facilities under the Medicare and Medicaid programs (see H.R. 5646), H12045 [7DE]

———waive certain mortgage insurance premiums and use such proceeds to purchase long-term care insurance (see H.R. 3607), H278 [9FE]

Small business: protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), consideration (see H. Res. 423), H454 [15FE]

Social Security: eliminate the waiting period in the disability insurance program (see H.R. 5412), H9504 [6OC]

———eliminate waiting period for divorced spouse's benefits following the divorce (see H.R. 5575), H11206 [26OC]

———expand Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program to include parents of low-income families (see S. 2923), S7656 [26JY] (see H.R. 4927), H6776 [24JY]

———expand State Children's Health Insurance Program to include parents of low-income families (see S. 2976), S7840 [27JY]

———extend availability of State Children's Health Insurance Program allotments (see S. 2434), S2728 [13AP] (see H.R. 4393), H2654 [8MY]

———improve coverage of low-income children under State Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid (see H.R. 5192), H7651 [14SE]

———improve the payment system for representation of claimants (see H.R. 4633), H4174 [9JN]

———increase in widow's and widower's insurance benefits relative to delayed retirement (see H.R. 5576), H11206 [26OC]

———level of benefit payment in the month of the beneficiary's death (see S. 2926), S7656 [26JY] (see H.R. 3890), H921 [9MR] (see H.R. 4310), H2338 [13AP]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (see S. 3077), S8823 [20SE] (see S. 3165), S9944 [5OC] (see H.R. 5291), H8199 [26SE] (see H.R. 5324), H8406 [27SE] (see H.R. 5543), H11193 [25OC] (see H.R. 5601), H11620 [30OC] (see H.R. 5612), H11781 [1NO] (see H.R. 5661), H12094 [14DE]

———phase out taxation of benefits (see S. 2304), S1815 [28MR]

———prevent conflicts of interest in the use of administrative vendors in the administration of State children's health insurance plans (see H.R. 3600), H254 [8FE]

———promote smoking cessation under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Maternal and Child Health Program (see S. 3073), S8759 [19SE] (see H.R. 5208), H7870 [19SE]

———protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened budgetary enforcement mechanisms (see H.R. 3859), H756 [8MR]

———protect surplus by requiring a sequester to eliminate any deficit (see S. 2001), S37 [24JA]

———provide additional safeguards for certain beneficiaries with representative payees (see S. 2477), S3023 [27AP] (see H.R. 4651), H4336 [13JN]

———provide equitable payments to providers of services under the Medicare Program and provide coverage of additional children under the Medicaid Program (see H.R. 5001), H7206 [27JY]

———provide for more equitable distribution of block grant funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 5281), H8061 [25SE]

———provide for personal Social Security accounts and extend solvency of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program (see H.R. 5659), H12094 [14DE]

———provide full benefits for disabled widows and widowers regardless of age (see H.R. 5577), H11206 [26OC]

———provide retirement security through payroll deductions and extend solvency of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program (see S. 2774), S5663 [22JN]

———provide targeted payment relief for hospitals that serve primarily Medicare and Medicaid patients that have been disproportionately impacted by certain payment reductions (see H.R. 4624), H4173 [9JN]

———provide that if failure to monitor a representative payee results in misuse of benefits, that payment of such benefits is made to the beneficiary or alternate payee (see H.R. 3666), H454 [15FE]

———repeal eligibility restrictions on widow's and widower's insurance benefits based on disability (see H.R. 5578), H11206 [26OC]

———repeal tax increase on benefits, eliminate earnings test for retirement age individuals, and raise age for minimum distributions from pension plans (see S. 2180), S1118 [2MR]

———require report to Congress on solvency (see S. 2249), S1461 [20MR]

Social Security Protection, Preservation, and Reform Commission: establish (see S. 2510), S3514 [4MY]

States: permit the option of coverage of legal immigrants under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (see H.R. 4707), H4816 [21JN]

Taxation: allow a credit to individuals attaining age 65 for certain drug and health insurance expenses (see H.R. 4234), H2121 [11AP]

———allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals (see H.R. 4472), H3172 [16MY]

———allow a refundable credit for health insurance costs (see S. 2337), S1986 [30MR] (see H.R. 4113), H1587 [29MR]

———allow a refundable credit for long-term care and offset the revenue cost of the credit by revising the rules on expatriation (see H.R. 4159), H1674 [3AP]

———allow employees and self-employed individuals to deduct taxes paid for Social Security and Medicare (see H.R. 5064), H7208 [27JY]

———allow small employers a tax credit for costs paid or incurred for employee health insurance expenses (see S. 2964), S7839 (see S. 2994), S7840 [27JY]

———clarify exemption from the self-employment tax for termination payments received by former life insurance salesmen (see H.R. 5444), H9767 [11OC]

———credit for health insurance costs (see S. 2320), S1884 [29MR]

———deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (see S. 2465), S2940 [26AP] (see H.R. 3665), H454 [15FE]

———exclude U.S. savings bond income from gross income if used to pay long-term care expenses (see S. 2066), S613 [10FE] (see H.R. 4316), H2338 [13AP]

———maintain retiree health benefits under the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act (see S. 2538), S3831 [10MY]

———maintain retiree health benefits under the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act and adjust inequities of United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund (see S. 3267), S11494 [1NO]

———prevent companies from reinsuring income in Bermuda or other tax havens to avoid paying U.S. income tax (see H.R. 4192), H1851 [5AP]

———prohibit treatment of workmen's compensation benefits as Social Security benefits (see H.R. 3857), H756 [8MR]

———provide for community revitalization and extension of medical savings accounts (see H.R. 5662), H12094 [14DE]

———provide incentives to encourage small business health plans (see H.R. 5184), H7651 [14SE]

———provide income tax credit to long-term caregivers (see S. 2096), S799 [24FE] (see S. 2984), S7840 [27JY]

———provide tax incentives to enhance long-term care and convene a National Summit on Long-Term Care (see H.R. 4498), H3412 [18MY]

———provide tax relief for health insurance and medical care expenses and establish more options for obtaining quality health care (see H.R. 4925), H6776 [24JY]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (see H.R. 4865), H6354 [17JY]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (H.R. 4865), consideration (see H. Res. 564), H7092 [26JY]

———treatment of flexible spending arrangements relative to long-term care insurance (see S. 2225), S1391 [9MR] (see H.R. 3872), H920 [9MR]

———treatment of medical expenses (see H.R. 5022), H7207 [27JY]

———treatment of policyholder dividends of mutual life insurance companies and policyholder surplus accounts (see S. 2874), S6841 [14JY] (see H.R. 3905), H931 [13MR]

———treatment of small property and casualty insurance companies (see S. 3099), S9033 [22SE] (see H.R. 5076), H7209 [27JY]

Veterans: prohibit motor vehicle insurers from treating veterans differently relative to motor vehicles operated during a period of military service (see H.R. 5607), H11716 [31OC]

Women: improve health and reduce health care costs for low-income and uninsured women by expanding existing screening and preventive health programs (see S. 2635), S4460 [25MY]

———reduce health care costs and promote improved health by providing supplemental grants for preventive health services (see H.R. 4606), H4120 [8JN]

Briefs

Medicare+Choice reimbursement system: Minnesota congressional delegation, E1173-E1176 [30JN]

Conference reports

Agricultural Risk Protection Act (H.R. 2559), H3763-H3804 [24MY]

Minimum Wage Increase, Taxpayer Relief, Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program Corrections, Pain Management Promotion, and Small Business Programs Improvement (H.R. 2614), H10909-H11087 [25OC]

Descriptions

Chronic Illness Care Improvement Act (H.R. 4981), E1335 [27JY]

Excerpts

Court depositions in Chetan Desai, et al. v. Jayaprakash K. Kamath, et al. relative to profits from the sale of chemotherapy drugs, E1578 [25SE]

Medicare Preservation and Improvement Act studies: Congressional Research Service, E384, E387 [22MR]

Factsheets

Medicare Health Improvement Act (S. 2727), S5112 [14JN]

Privatizing Social Security—A Riverboast Gamble: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, S4248 [23MY]

Homilies

Accessible Healthcare for All Citizens: Joseph W. Skrha, E490 [4AP]

Letters

Agriculture Marketing Equity Capital Fund use by independent grain and livestock producers for business developments with packers and processors: Senator Grassley, S5100 [14JN]

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Treatment and Assistance Act: Senator Torricelli, S9890 [5OC]

Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act: Fran Visco, National Breast Cancer Coalition, H2690 [9MY]

Comprehensive Budget Process Reform Act: Andrew F. Quinlan, CapitolWatch (organization), H3084 [16MY]

———Bill Frenzel and Tim Penny, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, H3082 [16MY]

———Eric V. Schlecht, National Taxpayers Union, H3085 [16MY]

———Grover G. Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform (organization), H3083, H3084 [16MY]

———R. Bruce Josten, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, H3082 [16MY]

———Ralph DeGennaro, Taxpayers for Common Sense (organization), H3084 [16MY]

———Robert L. Bixby, Concord Coalition, H3082, H3083 [16MY]

———Thomas Schatz, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, H3082, H3083, H3084 [16MY]

Deposit Insurance Increase Feasibility Act: Daniel A. Mica, Credit Union National Association, Inc., E1178 [30JN]

———Robert R. Davis, America's Community Bankers (organization), E1178 [30JN]

District of Columbia inclusion of conscience clause in legislation mandating coverage of contraceptives by health insurance plans: Dennis M. Schnurr, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, H7056 [26JY]

Ensure physician's rights to choose whether to join a labor organization: Peggy Taylor, AFL-CIO, H5642 [29JN]

Family Care Act: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt and Jennifer L. Howse, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, S7661 [26JY]

———Deborah F. Dietrich, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, S7661 [26JY]

———Gregg Haifley, Children's Defense Fund (organization), S7661 [26JY]

———Kathy Thornton and Catherine Pinkerton, NETWORK (organization), S7662 [26JY]

———Kerb Kuhn, Premier, Inc., S7662 [26JY]

———Lawrence A. McAndrews, National Association of Children's Hospitals, S7661 [26JY]

———Rick Pollack, American Hospital Association, S7662 [26JY]

———Ronald F. Pollack, Families USA (organization), S7662 [26JY]

———Stanley B. Peck, American Dental Hygienists' Association, S7661 [26JY]

Health care coverage for retired members of the uniformed services: Military Coalition, H1399 [23MR]

Health Care Provider Bill of Rights: Ann B. Howard, American Federation of HomeCare Providers, Inc., S8096 [6SE]

———Brian Peters, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, S8095 [6SE]

———Charles H. Roadman II, American Health Care Association, S8097 [6SE]

———Mary R. Grealy, Healthcare Leadership Council, S8096 [6SE]

———Thomas A. Scully, Federation of American Hospitals, S8096 [6SE]

———Val J. Halamandaris, National Association for Home Care, S8096 [6SE]

Honoring Health Care Commitments to Servicemembers Past and Present Act: George (Bud) Day, S119 [27JA]

———Military Coalition, S118 [27JA]

———National Military and Veterans Alliance, S118 [27JA]

———Richard D. Murray, National Association for Uniformed Services, S118 [27JA]

———Thomas J. McKee, Air Force Association, S118 [27JA]

Improve health and reduce health care costs for low-income and uninsured women by expanding existing screening and preventive health programs: Diane L. Balma, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, S4464 [25MY]

———Phyllis Greenberger and Roberta Biegel, Society for Women's Health Research, S4464 [25MY]

———Sandra C. Raymond, National Osteoporosis Foundation, S4464 [25MY]

Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program expansion to include parents of low-income families: several organizations, S2414 [7AP]

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act: Deborah F. Dietrich, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, S8853 [20SE]

———Howard Bedlin, National Council on the Aging, S8853 [20SE]

———Kenneth E. Raske, Greater New York Hospital Association, S8854 [20SE]

———Larry S. Gage, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, S8852 [20SE]

———National Immigration Law Center, S8852 [20SE]

———Robert Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, S8853 [20SE]

———Ronald F. Pollack, Families USA (organization), S8853 [20SE]

———Thomas J. Van Coverden, National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc., S8853 [20SE]

Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program corrections relative to the Balanced Budget Act: Alliance To Save Cancer Care Access, H11224 [26OC]

———American Association of Blood Banks, American Red Cross, and America's Blood Centers (organization), H11226 [26OC]

———American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, H11221 [26OC]

———American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, H11227 [26OC]

———Ann B. Howard, American Federation of HomeCare Providers, Inc., H11221 [26OC]

———Armin D. Weinberg, Intercultural Cancer Council, H11224 [26OC]

———Bill Finerfrock, Rural Health Clinics (organization), H11218 [26OC]

———Carolyn S. Markey, Visiting Nurse Associations of America, H11221 [26OC]

———Charles B. Mullins, University of Texas, H11220 [26OC]

———Charles L. DeBrunner, National Association of Urban Critical Access Hospitals, H11218 [26OC]

———Clark R. Law, Association for Ohio Philanthropic Homes, Housing and Service for the Aging, H11222 [26OC]

———Craig A. Becker, FACHE (organization), H11219 [26OC]

———Daniel E. Smith, American Cancer Society, H11223 [26OC]

———David LaBlanc, Lifecare Management Services (organization), H11223 [26OC]

———Donald W. Fisher, American Medical Group Association, H11219 [26OC]

———Edward A. Eckenhoff, American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association, H11217 [26OC]

———Gary Goldstein, Kennedy Krieger Institute, H11218 [26OC]

———George N. Miller, Jr., Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital, H11550 [30OC]

———Geraldine Brueckner, National Association of Long Term Hospitals, H11218 [26OC]

———Howard G. Capek and Matthew J. Ripperger, U.S. Healthcare (business), H11228 [26OC]

———Howard J. Braverman, American Optometric Association, H11226 [26OC]

———Jane V. White, American Dietetic Association, H11226 [26OC]

———Jeff Immelt, General Electric Co., H11227 [26OC]

———John Davis, National Kidney Foundation, H11225 [26OC]

———John W. Corwin, Glaucoma Foundation, H11225 [26OC]

———Judith Baskins, National PACE Association, H11222 [26OC]

———Karen A. Davie, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, H11222 [26OC]

———Leah Mullin, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International, H11225 [26OC]

———Mark Covall, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, H11220 [26OC]

———Mary R. Grealy, Health Care Leadership Council, H11220 [26OC]

———Michael Walker, Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, H11221 [26OC]

———Mike Dugan, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, H11225 [26OC]

———Nancy Brinker, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, H11225 [26OC]

———National Orthotic Manufacturers Association, H11227 [26OC]

———Pam Bailey, Advanced Medical Technology Association, H11227 [26OC]

———Patient Access to Transplantation Coalition, H11222 [26OC]

———Peters D. Willson, National Association of Children's Hospitals, H11218 [26OC]

———Phyllis Landrieu, Tenet Healthcare Corp., H11227 [26OC]

———Richard M. Scrushy, Health South (business), H11217 [26OC]

———Rick Pollack, American Hospital Association, S11110 [26OC], S11203 [27OC]

———Rowen K. Zetterman, American College of Gastroenterology, H11226 [26OC]

———S. Bradley Traverse, Acute Long Term Hospital Association, H11218 [26OC]

———Sam W. Cameron, Mississippi Hospital Association, H11219 [26OC]

———Thomas A. Connaughton, American Association for Homecare, H11220 [26OC]

———Thomas A. Scully, Federation of American Hospitals, H11217 [26OC]

———Thomas J. Van Coverden, National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc., H11217 [26OC]

———Val J. Halamandaris, National Association for Home Care, H11220 [26OC]

———William L. Rich III, American Academy of Ophthalmology, H11226 [26OC]

———William Teutsch, Association of Surgical Technologists, H11227 [26OC]

———several Representatives, E2031 [30OC]

———several hospital and healthcare associations, H11500 [29OC]

———several religious organizations, H11222 [26OC]

Medicare coverage of augmentative communication devices: Kirsten A. Nyrop, United Cerebral Palsy Association, E753 [17MY]

———Steven A. Jaye, Sunrise Medical (business), E753 [17MY]

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, E1882 [23OC]

———Adam Zaveski, E1179 [30JN]

———Gail Rattigan, S837 [28FE]

———Harriett Simmons, H8894 [5OC]

———Horace B. Deets, Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, E124 [10FE]

———Julia Kanopsky, H4169 [9JN]

———Louise Jarnac, H3401 [18MY]

———Mary Hudson, H9806 [11OC]

———Paul and Lois Van Valkenburgh, H8281 [27SE]

———Representative Stark, Committee on Ways and Means (House), E279 [9MR]

———Virginia Langell, H7900 [20SE]

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and allow importation of prescription drugs into the U.S. by pharmacists and wholesalers for resale and by U.S. citizens for personal use: President Clinton, S10524 [13OC]

Medicare reimbursement of prescription drug costs at the average wholesale price: Representative Stark, Committee on Ways and Means (House), E1620, E1622-E1624 [28SE]

Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Laurie M. Flynn, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, H5359 [28JN]

Medicare+Choice program improvements: several senior citizen organizations, S10669 [18OC]

Nursing Home Initiative funding: Sarah Greene Burger, National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, E956 [9JN]

Prohibit health insurance and employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information: Fran Visco, National Breast Cancer Coalition, S6071 [29JN]

———several health care organizations, S6070 [29JN]

Protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's: Representatives Dingell and Norwood, Committee on Commerce (House), S4788 [8JN]

———several individuals, H97 [1FE]

Protection of enrollees in managed health care plans and HMO's: Representative Ganske, S7516 [25JY]

Risk Management for the 21st Century Act: several organizations, S1566 [22MR]

Small Business Liability Reform Act: Barry B. Anderson, CBO, H472 [16FE]

———Nancy Stoner, Natural Resources Defense Council, H483 [16FE]

———Representative Bliley, Committee on Commerce (House), H472 [16FE]

———Representative Hyde, Committee on the Judiciary (House), H472 [16FE]

Social Security reform: Roger Zion, H3633 [23MY]

State Children's Health Insurance Program funding: Frank O'Bannon, Governor of Indiana, S5827 [27JN]

———Michael O. Leavitt and Parris N. Glendening, National Governors' Association, S5827 [27JN]

———Mike Huckabee and James B. Hunt, Jr., National Governors' Association, S5826 [27JN]

———several health care and community service organizations, S5825 [27JN]

———several Senators, S5826, S5827 [27JN]

Tax treatment of Social Security benefits: Robert Shreve, AARP, H7154 [27JY]

Transfer of appropriations from other Federal departments and agencies to fund Dept. of Justice litigation against tobacco industry: several veterans organizations, H4496 [15JN]

Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act: Mark E. Litow, Milliman & Robertson, Inc., S2652 [13AP]

———Roland E. (Guy) King, King Associates (business), S2651 [13AP]

Voluntary plan under which eligible Medicare beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs: Roland E. (Guy) King, King Associates (business), S1901 [29MR]

Lists

Cosponsors of H.R. 3573, Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act, H3324 [18MY]

Cosponsors of S. 2365, Home Health Payment Fairness Act, S8807 [20SE]

Organizations supporting Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program corrections relative to the Balanced Budget Act, S11110 [26OC], S11203 [27OC]

Patient Access to Transplantation Coalition members, H11223 [26OC]

Possible State losses of State-Children's Health Insurance Program funds, S7892 [27JY]

Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act savings for monthly expenses, S2653 [13AP]

Memorandums

Is Quality of Care Affected by Hospital and Physician Volumes? Lisa Shulman, E9 [27JA]

Physician Prescribing Practices in Japan, E1620 [28SE]

Quality Health-Care Coalition Act: Morton Rosenberg, Congressional Research Service, H5633-H5635 [29JN]

Motions

Health: national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 2990), H67 [31JA], H129 [1FE]

Medicaid: coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), H9847 [12OC]

Medicare: make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H5383, H5397, H5398 [28JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (H. Res. 539), H5303, H5316, H5317 [28JN]

Opinion polls

Prescription drug plan for stronger Medicare: Glen Bolger, Public Opinion Strategies (business), S4975 [13JN]

Outlines

Democratic proposal on Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program corrections relative to the Balanced Budget Act: Representatives Rangel and Dingell, H11553 [30OC]

Papers

On the Commodification of Medicine: Senator Moynihan, S7207-S7210 [19JY]

Press releases

FTC Charges Drug Manufacturers With Stifling Competition in Two Prescription Drug Markets: FTC, H5309 [28JN]

House To Decide Whether Americans Should Be Told the Truth About the Most Common STD, Human Papilloma Virus: Medical Institute on Human Papilloma Virus, H2692 [9MY]

Protection of Enrollees in Managed Care Plans and HMO's: AMA, S4788 [8JN]

Proposals

Attorney fee payment system: Representative Shaw, E971 [9JN]

Medicare use of additional projected surplus funds to supplement funding previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act: Senate Democratic Caucus, S7784 [27JY]

Questions and answers

Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs: Senators Domenici and Graham, S5646 [22JN]

Regulations

Hospital Outpatient Department prospective payment system for prescription drugs: Health Care Financing Administration, E1276 [19JY]

Remarks in House

Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund: allocate accruing interest to cover health care costs for certain miners, H8647 [3OC]

———allocate accruing interest to cover health care costs for certain miners (H.R. 4144), E467 [30MR]

Agriculture: strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program, E534 [11AP]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), conference report, H3817-H3828, H3857 [25MY], E887, E888 [6JN], E936 [9JN]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), consideration of conference report (H. Res. 512), H3816, H3817 [25MY]

Armed Forces: improve TRICARE program, H3190, H3191, H3195, H3198, H3200, H3201 [17MY]

———provide improved benefits training to members to enhance retention, E1789 [13OC]

———provide that covered beneficiaries shall not be required to pay a copayment for health care services received under TRICARE Prime (H.R. 3565), H333 [10FE], E159 [16FE]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, H3189, H3198 [17MY], H3323 [18MY], H8050 [25SE], H9643, H9647, H9650, H9653, H9655-H9666 [11OC]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (H.R. 3573), H240 [8FE], H380, H417 [15FE], H613 [1MR], H928 [13MR], H1140 [21MR], H11588 [30OC]

BIA: insure equitable distribution of Indian Health Service medical assistance payments to underfunded tribes, H4475 [14JN]

Budget: ensure Medicare coverage of prescription drugs prior to consideration of any tax cuts, H1976-H1984 [10AP]

———ensure solvency of Social Security and Medicare, H258, H260 [9FE], H516 [29FE]

———improve and strengthen budget process (H.R. 853), H3093-H3145 [16MY], E755 [17MY], E790 [19MY]

———improve and strengthen budget process (H.R. 853), consideration (H. Res. 499), H3078-H3093 [16MY]

———removal of analysis of budget functions from the budget resolution, H3135, H3136 [16MY]

Business and industry: require large employers to notify their employees of the amount paid by the employer for employee health coverage (H.R. 5440), E1766 [12OC]

Canada: national health care system, H93 [1FE]

CCC: disaster assistance funding for onion farmers in Orange County, NY, H5709, H5710 [10JY]

Children and youth: guarantee comprehensive health care coverage for all children (H.R. 4390), E660 [4MY], E2144 [7DE]

———provide health insurance for uninsured children, H19 [27JA], H367 [14FE]

———require comprehensive coverage for childhood immunizations, H2486 [3MY]

———use of State Children's Health Insurance Program funds, H8038-H8040 [25SE]

Committee on Appropriations (House): appropriations allocation revisions to H.R. 2559, Agricultural Risk Protection Act, H5291 [27JN]

Congress: accomplishments of the 106th Congress, H8300 [27SE]

Conservation and Reinvestment Act: condition funding on solvency of Social Security and Medicare, H2872-H2875 [10MY], H2949-H2951 [11MY], E779 [19MY]

Democratic Party: national agenda, H10814 [25OC], E2004 [28OC]

Dept. of Defense: allow Medicare-eligible military health care system beneficiaries to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, H3191 [17MY]

———authorize comparison study of coverage of physical, speech, and occupational therapies under TRICARE, CHAMPUS, Medicare, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, H3278 [17MY]

———make certain improvements to the military health care system, H1310, H1323, H1333, H1335, H1350, H1381, H1393, H1398 [23MR], H3978, H3979 [7JN]

———military health care programs funding through reductions in the national missile defense system, H3999-H4002 [7JN]

———TRICARE senior pharmacy program funding through reductions in the national missile defense system, H3992-H3999 [7JN]

Dept. of HHS: Consolidated Health Centers Program funding, H4104 [8JN]

———Medicare+Choice organizations funding, H5423 [28JN]

———prohibit funding to Medicare+Choice organizations that fail to comply with certain requirements of the Social Security Act, H4287, H4288 [13JN]

———senior citizens programs funding, H4297-H4300 [13JN]

Dept. of Justice: transfer of appropriations from other Federal departments and agencies to fund litigation against tobacco industry, H3966 [7JN], H4491-H4498 [15JN], H4619, H4632-H4651 [19JN], H4735, H4736 [20JN], H5039-H5046 [23JN], H11290 [26OC], E1062 [20JN], E1167, E1169 [30JN]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: provide cost-of-living adjustment for service-connected disability benefits and enhance programs providing compensation and life insurance benefits for veterans (H.R. 4850), H6783-H6786 [25JY], H9911, H9912, H9945 [17OC]

Disasters: authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (H.R. 707), H9562-H9569 [10OC]

———authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (H.R. 707), concur with Senate amendment (H. Res. 607), H8663-H8673 [3OC]

District of Columbia: inclusion of conscience clause in legislation mandating coverage of contraceptives by health insurance plans, H7055-H7058 [26JY], H7176 [27JY], H7583, H7584 [14SE]

District of Columbia Health and Hospitals Public Benefit Corp.: funding, H7041 [26JY]

Drugs: provide nondiscriminatory coverage of substance abuse treatment services under private group and individual health coverage (H.R. 1977), H1062 [15MR]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, H2096 [11AP]

Families and domestic relations: demonstration projects to support State and local efforts to provide partial or full wage replacement for childbirth, adoption, or other caregiving needs (H.R. 2500), H7974 [21SE]

FDA: prohibit funding to prevent importation into the U.S. of certain approved drugs, H5696-H5700, H5705-H5709 [10JY], E1198 [11JY]

FDIC: merge deposit insurance funds (H.R. 3899), E266 [9MR]

Federal employees: enable the Government to enroll an employee's child in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program when the employee fails to provide coverage for the child under a State court order (H.R. 2842), H7760-H7762 [19SE]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (H.R. 4040), H2667-H2675 [9MY], H7181-H7188 [27JY]

———make the same health insurance options afforded to executive and judicial branch employees available to Federal annuitants, legislative branch employees, and Armed Forces members and retirees (H.R. 4277), E581 [13AP]

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: coverage of abortion procedures, H6658-H6663 [20JY]

Federal-State relations: reduce State and local costs due to unfunded Federal mandates relative to Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5301, H5302 [28JN]

FHA: prevent the premature shutdown of certain mortgage insurance programs (H.R. 5256), E1572 [22SE]

———provide for the cancellation of mortgage insurance for mortgages on single family homes (H.R. 5338), E1619 [28SE]

Financial institutions: ensure consumer privacy when establishing a framework for the affiliation of banks, securities firms, and other financial service providers (H.R. 3320), E1652 [3OC]

———require studies on the impact of increasing the maximum amount of deposit insurance per depositor (H.R. 4603), E1178 [30JN]

———strengthen consumer control over use and disclosure of personal financial and health information (H.R. 4380), E652, E653 [4MY]

———strengthen consumer control over use and disclosure of personal financial and health information (H.R. 4585), H6606 [20JY]

Floods: ensure homeowners are provided adequate notice of flood map changes and a fair opportunity to appeal such changes (H.R. 4803), E1182 [30JN]

Gagne, Len: tribute to efforts relative to delivery of prescription drugs to military retirees in Oregon, H928 [13MR]

Genetics: prohibit use of genetic information in determining coverage or premiums (H.R. 306), H3828 [25MY]

Guam: Insurance Week observance, E2099 [14NO]

Health: allow certain retirees who lose employer-based coverage to acquire coverage under Medicare or COBRA and require employers to notify retirees of any changes in their health benefits (H.R. 3631), E116 [10FE]

———application of antitrust laws to labor negotiations by groups of health care professionals with HMO's (H.R. 1304), H3416 [19MY], H3756-H3763 [24MY], H3860-H3863 [25MY], H5440, H5627-H5652 [29JN], E1185, E1189, E1191 [10JY]

———application of antitrust laws to labor negotiations by groups of health care professionals with HMO's (H.R. 1304), consideration (H. Res. 542), H5617-H5626 [29JN]

———consequences of escalating health care costs, E1226 [13JY]

———improve access to health care services for uninsured and low-income individuals in medically under served areas, H4305 [13JN]

———increase State immunization programs funding (H. Con. Res. 315), H2486 [3MY]

———managed care system reform proposal, E200 [29FE]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures, H79 [31JA], H93 [1FE], H7563 [13SE], H7713-H7715 [18SE], H7875 [20SE], H7939 [21SE], H10238-H10242 [18OC], H11201 [26OC], H11516-H11520 [29OC], H11595-H11601 [30OC], E490 [4AP], E1910 [25OC]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 2990), H67 [31JA], H139-H143 [1FE], H367-H370 [14FE], H1465-H1468 [28MR], H2110-H2114 [11AP]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 2990), motion to instruct conferees, H129-H137 [1FE]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 3528), H4024 [7JN]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 5551), E1908 [25OC]

———prohibit health insurance and employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information (H.R. 2457), H6605, H6606 [20JY]

———prohibit implementation of a uniform medical identifier, H4285, H4286 [13JN], H4434 [14JN]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's, H16-H19 [27JA], H77-H81 [31JA], H96, H97, H98, H129-H137, H139-H143, H157 [1FE], H170 [2FE], H248-H252 [8FE], H275-H277 [9FE], H367-H370 [14FE], H376, H426 [15FE], H1465-H1468 [28MR], H2488, H2504 [3MY], H2745-H2748, H2750 [9MY], H5831-H5836 [11JY], H7086-H7090 [26JY], H7572-H7575 [13SE], H7985-H7988 [21SE], H10224, H10240 [18OC], H10399 [19OC], H10892-H10905 [25OC], H11245, H11247, H11248, H11250, H11253, H11254 [26OC], H11435-H11442 [27OC], H11452, H11476-H11483 [28OC], H11512-H11520 [29OC], H11595-H11608, H11609 [30OC], H11754-H11761 [1NO], H11807, H11808 [2NO], H12012-H12016 [5DE], H12036-H12040 [7DE], E7 [27JA]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's (H.R. 2723), H739-H747 [8MR], H970-H974 [14MR], H6448-H6450 [18JY], H7986 [21SE]

———provide grants to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, and coordination of services for the uninsured and underinsured (H.R. 4970), E1340 [27JY]

Health Care Financing Administration: oversight of Medicare contractors, H717 [8MR]

———reform the regulatory processes used to administer the Medicare program, H7904, H7907 [20SE]

Health Care Infrastructure Advisory Commission: establish (H.R. 5622), H11794 [2NO]

Health care professionals: allow a patient's medical care and treatment to be decided between the health care professional and the patient, H5647, H5648 [29JN]

———ensure rights to choose whether to join a labor organization, H5641-H5643 [29JN]

———exempt discussions on requiring abortion coverage from collective bargaining negotiations between health care professionals and HMO's, H5618-H5625, H5631, H5644-H5646 [29JN]

———exempt labor negotiations with health plans from antitrust laws if the FTC or Dept. of Justice certify the negotiations, H5639-H5641 [29JN]

———negotiation over fees, payments, or reimbursements with health plans, H5637-H5639, H5643, H5644 [29JN]

Highland, IL: tribute to Highland Council of the Catholic Fraternal Life Insurance Co., E401 [23MR]

Indian Health Service: extend program for direct billing of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payors and expand program eligibility to other tribes and tribal organizations (S. 406), H9957-H9959 [17OC]

———funding, H4583 [15JN]

Life Insurance Co. of Georgia: investigation into African-American policyholder premium rates, E2209 [15DE]

Medicaid: apply the disproportionate share hospital payment transition rule to public hospitals (H.R. 5621), E2123 [5DE]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), H2661, H2687-H2698, H2737 [9MY], H8595 [2OC], H9820, H9847-H9852 [12OC], H11454 [28OC]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), Senate amendment (H. Res. 628), H9843-H9847 [12OC]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment services for certain women screened under federally funded programs (H.R. 1070), H1624 [30MR], H1681 [4AP], H1769 [5AP], H1962 [10AP], H2020 [11AP], H2126, H2127 [12AP], H2553 [4MY], E533 [11AP], E579 [13AP]

———coverage of community-based attendant services (H.R. 4416), H6756 [24JY]

———establish a new prospective payment system for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics (H.R. 2341), H7900 [20SE]

———increase the cap on payments for U.S. territories, H7967 [21SE]

———permit public schools and other entities to determine presumptive eligibility for low-income children, H12490 [15DE]

———permit State waiver authority to provide medical assistance in cases of congenital heart defects (H.R. 3325), E125 [14FE]

———provide families and disabled children with the opportunity to purchase coverage (H.R. 4825), H11787 [2NO]

———provide public access to quality medical imaging procedures and radiation therapy procedures (H.R. 5274), E1587 [25SE]

———provide State options to allow eligibility for legal immigrant pregnant women, children, and certain disabled individuals, H12489 [15DE]

———provide States with the option of covering intensive community mental health treatment (H.R. 5572), E1949 [26OC]

———reform, E2031 [30OC]

———remove the cap on payments for Puerto Rico and certain other territories and adjust the statutory matching rate (H.R. 5126), E1421 [7SE]

———require States to establish reasonable reimbursement rates, H11682 [31OC], E2083 [3NO]

Medicare: approve all cost-sharing amounts of Medicare+Choice plans and prohibit such plans from manipulating cost-sharing amounts to avoid sicker patients, E1833 [19OC]

———assure quality of care to beneficiaries and reduce the incidence of medical errors (H.R. 5404), E1703 [6OC]

———calculation of Medicare+Choice payments for medical services at Dept. of Veterans Affairs and Dept. of Defense facilities (H.R. 2447), E1652 [3OC]

———clarify definition of homebound relative to home health services (H.R. 5067), E1412 [6SE]

———clarify definition of homebound relative to home health services (H.R. 5303), E1631 [28SE]

———combat fraud and abuse relative to partial hospitalization services (H.R. 5449), E1757-E1759 [12OC]

———combat waste, fraud, and abuse, H2619 [8MY], E956 [9JN]

———contracting with certain hospitals to provide certain surgical procedures and related services at a single rate (H.R. 1392), E8 [27JA]

———contractor management funding, H4214 [12JN]

———correct reductions to service provider payment rates previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act, H7638-H7640 [14SE], H7900 [20SE], H7985 [21SE]

———coverage for surgical first assisting services of certified registered nurse first assistants (H.R. 3911), E310 [14MR]

———coverage of augmentative communication devices (H.R. 4479), E752, E755 [17MY]

———coverage of chronic disease prescription drugs (H.R. 1796), E1866 [19OC]

———coverage of home health services (H.R. 4874), E1549 [20SE]

———coverage of medically necessary pancreas transplantation procedures (H.R. 4495), E766 [18MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, H16-H18 [27JA], H79 [31JA], H367 [14FE], H496-H501 [16FE], H579, H580 [1MR], H1000 [15MR], H1127 [21MR], H1303, H1304, H1305, H1333 [23MR], H1945, H1946 [6AP], H2186, H2190-H2200 [12AP], H2257, H2320 [13AP], H2485, H2488-H2501 [3MY], H2619 [8MY], H2974 [15MY], H3057 [16MY], H3183, H3184, H3185 [17MY], H3312, H3313, H3401 [18MY], H3620-H3625 [23MY], H3934, H3963 [7JN], H4168 [9JN], H4226 [13JN], H4343, H4345, H4480 [14JN], H4596, H4659-H4670 [19JN], H4679, H4680 [20JN], H4910, H4911, H4916-H4928 [21JN], H5077 [23JN], H5175 [27JN], H5821-H5827 [11JY], H5878-H5880 [12JY], H6031 [13JY], H6097-H6102 [17JY], H6526-H6528, H6566, H6569, H6570, H6573-H6576 [19JY], H7067 [26JY], H7221, H7253-H7259 [6SE], H7284, H7348 [7SE], H7546, H7563 [13SE], H7707-H7715 [18SE], H7875, H7899, H7902-H7916 [20SE], H7936, H7937, H7938, H7939, H7968-H7970, H7983-H7985 [21SE], H8036, H8041-H8047, H8052 [25SE], H8066 [26SE], H8205, H8206, H8281, H8298, H8299 [27SE], H8410, H8411 [28SE], H8629, H8732-H8734 [3OC], H8744, H8796 [4OC], H8894 [5OC], H9454, H9455 [6OC], H9706, H9806 [11OC], H10240 [18OC], H10399 [19OC], H10816, H10882, H10892-H10905 [25OC], H11435-H11442 [27OC], H11476-H11483 [28OC], H11535, H11595-H11601, H11609 [30OC], H11750, H11754-H11761 [1NO], H11786, H11792, H11803-H11807 [2NO], H12036-H12040 [7DE], E123 [10FE], E279 [9MR], E531 [11AP], E697 [10MY], E722 [15MY], E1179 [30JN], E1302 [21JY], E1346 [27JY], E1485 [14SE], E1613 [27SE], E1673 [4OC], E1779 [13OC], E1866 [19OC], E1882 [23OC], E1910 [25OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs for military retirees, H7507 [13SE], H9642 [11OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 1495), H458, H459, H460, H461 [16FE], H1461-H1463 [28MR], E411 [23MR]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 3482), H3753 [24MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 4607), E951 [9JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (H.R. 4770), H5426 [28JN], E1188 [10JY], E1276 [19JY]

———coverage of vision rehabilitation services (H.R. 2870), E1144 [29JN]

———create official website that allows beneficiaries to purchase safe and competitively priced domestic and international prescription drugs (H.R. 5142), E1423 [7SE]

———eliminate discriminatory copayment rates for outpatient psychiatric services (H.R. 5434), E1733 [10OC]

———establish a demonstration project to stabilize coverage and benefits under the Medicare+Choice Program (H.R. 4555), H3859 [25MY]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for prescription drugs, H4293-H4296 [13JN]

———expand and make permanent the subvention demonstration project for military retirees and dependents, H3378-H3392 [18MY]

———impact of State spending levels on the quality of health care services, E1840 [19OC]

———improve access to health insurance by offering certain individuals a Medicare buy-in option and allow tax credit for payment of premiums (H.R. 4938), E1304 [24JY]

———improve fee-for-services reimbursement rates in rural States, H7875 [20SE]

———improve payments under the Medicare+Choice program, H6606 [20JY]

———improve payments under the Medicare+Choice program (H.R. 4236), E527 [11AP]

———improve the manner in which new medical technologies are made available to beneficiaries (H.R. 4395), H7900 [20SE], H8817 [5OC], E1573 [22SE]

———increase access to health care for beneficiaries through telehealth services (H.R. 4841), H7543 [13SE]

———increase awareness of the availability of cost-sharing assistance to eligible low-income beneficiaries (H.R. 4797), E1165 [30JN]

———increase payment amount and establish an annual payment review process for renal dialysis services (H.R. 5152), E1469 [13SE]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program, H10816 [25OC], H11806 [2NO]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H4916 [21JN], H5073, H5077, H5078, H5079 [23JN], H5088 [26JN], H5173 [27JN], H5319-H5415 [28JN], H5439, H5440, H5441, H5442 [29JN], H6781 [25JY], H7852-H7858 [19SE], H7977-H7983 [21SE], H8110 [26SE], H8745 [4OC], H9701 [11OC], H11532 [30OC], E1104 [23JN], E1159, E1162, E1172, E1179 [30JN], E1188 [10JY], E1203 [11JY]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), consideration (H. Res. 539), H5300-H5318 [28JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), motion to recommit, H5396 [28JN]

———payment of claims by health care providers against insolvent Medicare+Choice organizations (H.R. 4087), E398 [23MR]

———payments made under the prospective payment system for home health services (H.R. 4727), E1093 [23JN]

———preserve and improve (S. 1895), E358 [21MR], E384, E387 [22MR]

———preserve essential rural hospitals (H.R. 5220), E1536 [20SE]

———promote research for health promotion and disease prevention and add preventive benefits (H.R. 3887), E270 [9MR]

———protect right of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare+Choice plans to receive services at any skilled nursing facility (H.R. 3004), H9514 [10OC]

———provide attending physicians greater authority in determining whether a beneficiary is eligible for hospice care (H.R. 5222), E1540 [20SE]

———provide beneficiaries with accurate and understandable managed care information and negotiate with Medicare+Choice organizations to improve and expand benefit plans (H.R. 4753), H5365 [28JN]

———provide comprehensive and coordinated care for individuals with serious and disabling chronic illnesses (H.R. 4981), E1335 [27JY]

———provide for equitable reimbursement rates to Medicare+Choice organizations, E2041 [31OC]

———provide for moratorium on mandatory delay of payment of claims and establish advanced informational infrastructure for administration of Federal health benefit programs (H.R. 4401), H2748 [9MY]

———redesignate ``Medicare+Choice'' as ``Medicare-No-Choice'' (H.R. 5558), E1909 [25OC]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, H579, H580 [1MR], H4916, H4920-H4928 [21JN]

———reductions in prescription drug prices (H.R. 664), H336 [10FE], H418-H425 [15FE], H458, H459, H460, H461 [16FE], H1461-H1463 [28MR], H3297-H3300 [17MY], H4659-H4664 [19JN], H7910, H7911 [20SE]

———reform, H3753 [24MY], H8204 [27SE], H9514 [10OC], H10892-H10899 [25OC], H11435-H11442 [27OC], H11508, H11512-H11520 [29OC], H12483, H12490, H12495, H12496 [15DE]

———reform purchasing, payment, and administrative requirements (H.R. 2115), E959 [9JN]

———reimbursement of prescription drug costs at the average wholesale price, E1524 [19SE], E1620, E1622 [28SE]

———reimbursement of routine patient care costs for individuals participating in approved clinical trials (H.R. 61), H3931 [7JN]

———reimbursement rates for drugs, E2194 [15DE]

———require HMO's participating in the Medicare+Choice program to commit to 3-year contracts, H11495-H11503, H11505 [29OC], E2040 [31OC]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (H.R. 3580), H7639 [14SE], H11258 [26OC]

———revise the calculation of base payment rates for the prospective payment system for home health services (H.R. 5163), H7900 [20SE]

———use of additional projected surplus funds to supplement funding previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act (H. Res. 535), H5423-H5426 [28JN], E1182 [30JN]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, H12445, H12485 [15DE]

Medicare/Medicaid: reimbursement levels for chemotherapy drugs, E1578 [25SE]

———require nursing facilities to be air conditioned to receive funding (H.R. 4898), E1326 [26JY]

Minorities: elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage, E2186 [14DE]

National Flood Insurance Program: improve predisaster mitigation and facilitate voluntary buyouts of repetitively flooded properties (H.R. 2728), H6026 [13JY]

National objectives: policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 3528), H4024 [7JN]

Nevada: tribute to prescription drug plan for senior citizens, H7219 [6SE]

O'Laughlin, Brian M.: Missouri Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Man of the Year award recipient, E1456 [13SE]

Pharmaceuticals: eliminate barriers to improve access to generic drugs, H7742 [19SE], E1527, E1528, E1529 [19SE]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, H5441 [29JN], H7908-H7915 [20SE], H8053 [25SE]

Republican Party: national agenda, H8455-H8459 [28SE], H11774-H11779 [1NO]

Santa Clara County, CA: tribute for efforts to provide health coverage to uninsured children, E2144 [7DE]

Senior citizens: increase accountability of nursing facilities and ensure adequate nurse staffing for patient needs in the facilities under the Medicare and Medicaid programs (H.R. 5646), E2139 [7DE]

———limit hardship endured when meeting prescription drug needs (H. Con. Res. 152), H8796 [4OC]

———prevent nursing home abuse and fraud, E956 [9JN]

Small business: limit punitive damages against small businesses except in cases where they are proven to have acted with specific intent to cause harm, H476, H477 [16FE]

———protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), H463-H486 [16FE]

———protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), amendment process, H280 [10FE]

———protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), consideration (H. Res. 423), H461-H463 [16FE]

Small Business Liability Reform Act: define ``punitive damages'' as those awarded to punish or deter similar behavior and not including civil penalties, fines, or treble damages assessed by a State or Federal agency, H478, H479 [16FE]

———define ``small business'' relative to revenue and clarify provisions on product liability, hate crimes, and State punitive damages application and opt-out procedures, H480-H485 [16FE]

Social Security: allow diversion of percentage of payroll tax payments into personal investment plans, H577 [1MR], H1128 [21MR], H3052, H3058 [16MY], H3402-H3410 [18MY], H3632-H3637 [23MY], H3754-H3756 [24MY], H4031-H4033 [7JN], H6758-H6764 [24JY], H8058 [25SE], H8787 [4OC], H11871-H11873 [13NO]

———effects of reform proposals on women, H3402-H3404 [18MY]

———ensure solvency, H5732-H5734 [10JY], H7220, H7221 [6SE], H8894 [5OC], H9512 [10OC], H10233-H10238 [18OC], H10528-H10532 [23OC], H11431-H11435 [27OC], H11835 [3NO], H11871-H11873 [13NO]

———improve the payment system for representation of claimants (H.R. 4633), E956, E970 [9JN]

———level of benefit payment in the month of the beneficiary's death (H.R. 3890), E265 [9MR]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act, H8435 [28SE], H11200, H11201, H11210-H11217, H11228, H11247 [26OC], H11451, H11453, H11455 [28OC], H11497, H11499, H11500, H11504, H11505, H11506 [29OC], H11547-H11554, H11595-H11601 [30OC], H11793, H11802 [2NO], H12490, H12491, H12494, H12495, H12498, H12500, H12501 [15DE], E1997, E2004 [28OC], E2031 [30OC], E2039, E2041 [31OC], E2052 [1NO], E2194 [15DE]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (H.R. 5291), E1601 [27SE]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (H.R. 5324), E1615 [27SE]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (H.R. 5612), E2051 [1NO]

———prevent conflicts of interest in the use of administrative vendors in the administration of State children's health insurance plans (H.R. 3600), E88 [8FE]

———protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened budgetary enforcement mechanisms (H.R. 3859), H4708-H4714 [20JN], H5100 [26JN]

———provide targeted payment relief for hospitals that serve primarily Medicare and Medicaid patients that have been disproportionately impacted by certain payment reductions (H.R. 4624), E1099 [23JN]

———reform, H2738 [9MY], H3402-H3410 [18MY], H3632-H3637 [23MY], H3754-H3756 [24MY], H3912 [6JN], E1861 [19OC]

Social Security Act: anniversary, E1378 [27JY]

SSI: combat waste, fraud, and abuse, H3312 [18MY]

States: permit the option of coverage of legal immigrants under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, H11257 [26OC]

Sterling Life Insurance Co.: enrollment policies for Medicare+Choice fee-for-service plan, E1833 [19OC]

Taxation: allow a credit to individuals attaining age 65 for certain drug and health insurance expenses (H.R. 4234), H2019 [11AP]

———allow a deduction for amounts paid for health insurance and prescription drug costs of individuals (H.R. 4472), H3058 [16MY]

———allow a refundable credit for health insurance costs (H.R. 4113), E451 [30MR]

———allow individuals a refundable credit for the purchase of private health insurance through a pooling arrangement (H.R. 2185), E247 [8MR], E269 [9MR]

———clarify exemption from the self-employment tax for termination payments received by former life insurance salesmen (H.R. 5444), E1752 [12OC]

———condition phase-out and repeal of estate and gift taxes on solvency of Social Security and Medicare and public debt reduction, H4078, H4081-H4085 [8JN], H4132, H4135, H4138, H4145 [9JN], E974 [12JN]

———condition repeal of excise tax on telephone use and other communications services on solvency of Social Security and Medicare, H3834 [25MY]

———condition repeal of tax increase on Social Security benefits on solvency of Social Security and Medicare, H7166-H7175 [27JY]

———deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (H.R. 3665), H2281 [13AP], E148 [15FE]

———disclosure of employer's share of taxes paid for old-age, survivors, disability, and hospital insurance for the employee (H.R. 1264), H6380-H6382 [18JY]

———make marriage tax penalty relief contingent on Social Security and Medicare solvency certification and public debt elimination, H314, H315, H318-H327 [10FE], H5866, H5869-H5871, H5874-H5877 [12JY]

———prevent companies from reinsuring income in Bermuda or other tax havens to avoid paying U.S. income tax (H.R. 4192), E504 [6AP]

———provide incentives to encourage small business health plans (H.R. 5184), E1495 [14SE]

———provide tax credits to individuals aged 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare or purchase COBRA health coverage, H1418 [28MR]

———provide tax incentives to enhance long-term care and convene a National Summit on Long-Term Care (H.R. 4498), H3400 [18MY]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (H.R. 4865), H7007 [26JY], H7153-H7176 [27JY], E1412, E1413 [6SE], E1493 [14SE]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (H.R. 4865), consideration (H. Res. 564), H7136-H7143, H7150 [27JY]

———tax credits for health insurance relative to the uninsured, E2190 [15DE]

———treatment of medical savings accounts, H12485 [15DE]

———treatment of policyholder dividends of mutual life insurance companies and policyholder surplus accounts (H.R. 3905), E287 [13MR]

Texas: implementation of legislation to protect enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's, H17-H19 [27JA], H426 [15FE], H970-H974 [14MR], H11202 [26OC]

———participation in State Children's Health Insurance Program, H3895-H3901 [6JN], E923 [9JN]

———tribute to Children's Health Insurance Program, E821 [24MY]

Women: reduce health care costs and promote improved health by providing supplemental grants for preventive health services (H.R. 4606), E947 [9JN]

Remarks in Senate

Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund: allocate accruing interest to cover health care costs for certain miners (S. 2584), S4114 [17MY]

Agriculture: improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk, S3937 [15MY]

———improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk (S. 2251), S1556-S1586 [22MR], S1624-S1642, S1651 [23MR], S1807-S1809 [28MR]

———improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk (S. 2251), unanimous-consent agreement, S1563, S1564 [22MR]

———improve crop insurance coverage and assist producers in managing risk (S. 2251), unanimous-consent request, S1556, S1562 [22MR]

———promote the development and use of affordable crop insurance policies for specialty crop producers, S1579, S1580 [22MR]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program, S2064 [4AP]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), S1628-S1642 [23MR]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), conference report, S4337 [24MY], S4416-S4443 [25MY], S5100 [14JN]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), conference report—unanimous-consent agreement, S4412 [25MY]

———strengthen safety net for agricultural producers and improve efficiency and integrity of the Federal crop insurance program (H.R. 2559), insert S. 2251 language in lieu, S1628 [23MR]

———use of Agriculture Marketing Equity Capital Fund by independent grain and livestock producers for business developments with packers and processors, S5100 [14JN]

Alaska: increase the Federal medical assistance percentage (S. 2693), S4820 [8JN]

Armed Forces: extend Survivor Benefit Plan and allow active duty personnel's families to participate in Servicemen's Group Life Insurance Program, S4736 [8JN]

———improve TRICARE program and extend and improve certain demonstration programs under the Defense Health Program (S. 2087), S711-S713, S737, S741-S745 [23FE], S828 [24FE], S1659 [23MR]

———improve TRICARE program and extend and improve certain demonstration programs under the Defense Health Program (S. 2486), S3043, S3192, S3193 [1MY]

———increase TRICARE allowable charges and report on the nonparticipation of physicians in rural States, S5076 [14JN]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, S4533-S4535 [6JN], S4620-S4633 [7JN], S4812, S4813 [8JN], S10335, S10342, S10363, S10380, S10381, S10383, S10387, S10393 [12OC]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (S. 2003), S39 [24JA], S925 [29FE], S1659, S1665 [23MR], S2228 [5AP]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (S. 2013), S113-S115 [27JA], S828 [24FE]

———restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services (S. 2669), S4565 [6JN]

Budget: ensure Medicare coverage of prescription drugs prior to consideration of any tax cuts, S2087-S2094 [4AP], S2145-S2155 [5AP], S2667, S2678 [13AP]

———ensure solvency of Social Security and Medicare, S2149-S2151 [5AP], S6784 [14JY], S7044 [17JY]

Business and industry: condition eligibility for risk insurance provided by Eximbank or OPIC on certifying that no transfer of advanced technology or production facilities to the People's Republic of China has occured, S8553-S8557, S8559 [14SE]

———limit the administrative expenses and profits of managed care entities to a certain percentage of premium revenues (S. 2975), S7890 [27JY]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: increase State immunization programs funding, S6192-S6195 [30JN]

Children and youth: guarantee comprehensive health care coverage for all children (S. 2515), S3538 [4MY]

———require comprehensive coverage for childhood immunizations (S. 2444), S2763 [13AP]

———use of State Children's Health Insurance Program funds, S11052 [26OC]

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Senate): tribute to staff for efforts on Agricultural Risk Protection Act, S4441, S4442 [25MY]

Computers: require operators of Internet web sites to obtain a user's consent before sending health information to another entity, S5320 [19JN]

Congress: accomplishments of the 106th Congress, S8642 [18SE]

Consumers: establish grants for States to establish health insurance consumer assistance programs (S. 2819), S6132-S6134 [29JN]

Courts: legal accountability for actions by health insurance companies and HMO's, S4799, S4801, S4806 [8JN]

———waive Federal preemption of State laws in cases awarding punitive damages against moving companies engaging in unfair practices in processing of property claims (S. 2369), S2347 [6AP]

Democratic Privacy Task Force (Senate): status of legislative proposals on consumer privacy issues, S11777-S11779 [14DE]

Dept. of Agriculture: payment of disaster assistance to potato and apple farmers, S5364 [19JN]

Dept. of Defense: ensure confidentiality of medical records and health care-related information, S4983, S4984 [13JN]

Dept. of HHS: Consolidated Health Centers Program funding, S5715-S5719 [23JN]

———State Children's Health Insurance Program funding, S5823-S5829, S5871 [27JN], S6101 [29JN]

Dept. of Labor: develop plan to improve compensation, working conditions, and other benefits for agricultural workers in the U.S., S6189 [30JN]

Dept. of the Treasury: establish HMO Guaranty Fund to provide payments to States to pay outstanding health care provider claims of insolvent HMO's (S. 3261), S11374 [30OC]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: provide cost-of-living adjustment for service-connected disability benefits and enhance programs providing compensation and life insurance benefits for veterans (H.R. 4850), S10515, S10516 [12OC]

Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act: include airplane and rail accidents within the meaning of the term ``major disaster'' (S. 2543), S3916 [11MY]

Disasters: authorize predisaster mitigation programs, streamline the administration of disaster relief, and control the costs of disaster assistance (H.R. 707), S7298-S7301 [19JY], S10011-S10019 [5OC]

———limit emergency home repair assistance, S10019 [5OC]

FDIC: provide coverage for municipal deposits (S. 3018), S8209 [7SE]

Federal Deposit Insurance Act: require periodic cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance available (S. 2589), S11897 [15DE]

———require periodic cost-of-living adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance available (S. 2798), S5905 [27JN]

Federal employees: enable the Government to enroll an employee's child in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program when the employee fails to provide coverage for the child under a State court order (H.R. 2842), S10551, S10552 [13OC]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (H.R. 4040), S7802 [27JY]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (H.R. 4040), insert S. 2420 language in lieu, S7582 [25JY]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (S. 2218), S1321-S1324 [8MR]

———establish program under which current and former employees may obtain long-term care insurance (S. 2420), S7575-S7582 [25JY], S10587 [13OC]

———make the same health insurance options afforded to executive and judicial branch employees available to Federal annuitants, legislative branch employees, and Armed Forces members and retirees (H.R. 4277), S10587 [13OC]

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: coverage of contraceptives under any plan providing prescription drug coverage, S8799 [20SE]

FHA: require partial rebates of mortgage insurance premiums to certain mortgagors upon payment of their FHA-insured mortgages (S. 2914), S7543 [25JY]

Financial institutions: allow payment of Financing Corporation interest obligations from excess deposit insurance fund reserves (S. 2293), S1810 [28MR], S1875 [29MR]

———strengthen consumer control over use and disclosure of personal financial and health information (S. 2513), S3532-S3537 [4MY], S11779 [14DE]

Fish and fishing: federally-sponsored crop insurance for fishermen, S1577, S1578 [22MR]

Health: coverage of infertility treatment (S. 2160), S1122 [2MR]

———ensure confidentiality of medical records and health care-related information, S10963 [25OC]

———ensure confidentiality of medical records and health care-related information (S. 573), S11779 [14DE]

———improve access to health care services for uninsured and low-income individuals in medically under served areas (S. Res. 260), S824 [24FE], S840 [28FE]

———improve access to health care services for uninsured and low-income individuals in medically underserved areas, S2415, S2416 [7AP], S2462 [10AP]

———improve access to health insurance and Medicare benefits for individuals aged 55 to 65 and allow tax credits for payment of such premiums and COBRA coverage premiums (S. 2918), S7552 [25JY]

———increase access to long-term health care (S. 2935), S7674-S7676 [26JY]

———increase State immunization programs funding (S. 2443), S2763 [13AP]

———increase State immunization programs funding (S. 2443), star print, S3268 [2MY]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures, S4513, S4514 [6JN], S4977 [13JN], S5821 [26JN], S7504, S7508 [25JY], S8045-S8048 [6SE], S9565 [2OC], S10967-S10972 [25OC], S11064-S11067, S11074-S11076, S11111 [26OC], S11340-S11342 [29OC]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (H.R. 2990), S1698 [27MR], S6412 [11JY]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (S. 2888), S7229-S7232 [19JY]

———national policy to provide health care and reform insurance procedures (S. 3172), S9957 [5OC]

———prohibit health insurance and employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information, S6048-S6053, S6067-S6078, S6091 [29JN], S6219 [30JN]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's, S1111-S1113 [2MR], S2339 [6AP], S2450 [10AP], S2891 [26AP], S4787-S4808 [8JN], S5729 [23JN], S6079-S6093 [29JN], S7516-S7519 [25JY], S7980 [5SE], S8630 [15SE], S9401 [27SE], S9427, S9428 [28SE], S9926, S9927 [5OC], S10127-S10129 [10OC], S10746, S10748 [19OC], S10886 [23OC], S10963, S10967-S10972 [25OC], S11064, S11082, S11111 [26OC], S11334, S11335, S11337 [29OC]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's (S. 3057), S8641 [18SE]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's (S. 3058), S8641 [18SE]

———sustain access to vital emergency medical services in rural areas (S. 3125), S9390 [27SE]

Health Care Financing Administration: imposition of fines for improper Medicaid coverage changes, S6204 [30JN]

———reform the regulatory processes used to administer the Medicare program, S8808 [20SE], S8875, S8876 [21SE]

———reform the regulatory processes used to administer the Medicare program (S. 2999), S8093-S8097 [6SE]

Medicaid: apply aggregate upper payment limits to non-State publicly owned or operated facilities (S. 3187), S10270 [11OC]

———assure preservation of safety net hospitals through maintenance of Disproportionate Share Hospital Program (S. 2308), S1822 [28MR]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), S3852 [10MY], S3858 [11MY], S9821-S9823 [4OC], S10215 [11OC]

———coverage of breast and cervical cancer treatment for certain women and research on relationship between cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (H.R. 4386), insert S. 662 language in lieu, S9821 [4OC]

———coverage of community-based attendant services (S. 1935), S7640 [26JY]

———implement regulations clarifying allowable costs for school-based health services provided to children with disabilities (S. 3088), S8952 [21SE]

———provide families and disabled children with the opportunity to purchase coverage (S. 2274), S1607, S1608 [22MR], S5305 [16JN], S6819 [14JY], S10748 [19OC]

———reform, S5879 [27JN]

Medicare: adjust wages and wage-related costs for certain items and services furnished in geographically reclassified hospitals (S. 2241), S1414 [9MR]

———allow tax deduction for Medigap and Medicare+Choice plans including outpatient prescription drug and long-term care benefits, and establish new Medigap policies including such benefits (S. 2237), S1411 [9MR]

———anniversary, S5879 [27JN]

———clarify definition of homebound relative to home health services (S. 2298), S1748 [27MR]

———clarify definition of homebound relative to home health services (S. 3106), S9200 [25SE]

———coverage of adult day care services (S. 2826), S6138 [29JN]

———coverage of bone mass measurements (S. 2524), S3695 [9MY]

———coverage of glaucoma detection services (S. 3024), S8343 [11SE]

———coverage of medical nutrition therapy services (S. 660), S8337 [11SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, S132-S134 [31JA], S657 [22FE], S705-S709 [23FE], S837 [28FE], S1188-S1191 [6MR], S1659 [23MR], S1698 [27MR], S1851-S1853 [29MR], S1947 [30MR], S2030 [3AP], S2059, S2063, S2084 [4AP], S2324 [6AP], S2390, S2427 [7AP], S2571 [12AP], S2675, S2676, S2681, S2683, S2688, S2689 [13AP], S2891, S2893 [26AP], S2958 [27AP], S4171 [18MY], S4513 [6JN], S4974-S4978 [13JN], S5609, S5636-S5641, S5643, S5645, S5646 [22JN], S5721, S5726, S5731 [23JN], S5779, S5786 [26JN], S6442, S6446 [11JY], S6632-S6636, S6643 [13JY], S6796 [14JY], S7006, S7050 [17JY], S7085 [18JY], S7627 [26JY], S7962, S7980 [5SE], S8045-S8048 [6SE], S8160 [7SE], S8245-S8250, S8272-S8274 [8SE], S8536-S8538, S8569, S8600-S8604 [14SE], S8629, S8630 [15SE], S8748-S8750 [19SE], S8773-S8776, S8780-S8789 [20SE], S9127 [25SE], S9334, S9335 [27SE], S9415-S9418, S9422 [28SE], S9565 [2OC], S9835-S9838 [4OC], S9923, S9927 [5OC], S10127-S10129 [10OC], S10667-S10669 [18OC], S10960-S10962, S10968 [25OC], S11065 [26OC], S11531 [14NO], S11564 [5DE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs and enhanced preventative benefits (S. 2541), S3839-S3850 [10MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs for military retirees, S10383 [12OC]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 1480), S7, S8 [24JA], S124, S125 [31JA], S315 [3FE], S656 [22FE], S751-S753 [23FE], S787 [24FE], S1042 [1MR], S1162-S1164 [6MR], S1203 [7MR], S1267 [8MR], S1482 [21MR], S2032-S2034 [3AP], S3694 [9MY]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 1535), S104 [26JA], S5879 [27JN], S6253 [30JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2758), S5465-S5467 [20JN], S5719 [23JN]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2836), S8091-S8093 [6SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3016), S8198-S8204 [7SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3017), S8204 [7SE]

———coverage of outpatient prescription drugs (S. 3107), S9254 [26SE], S9357 [27SE]

———Disproportionate Share Hospital Program funding, S6216 [30JN]

———eliminate discriminatory copayment rates, add intensive residential services, and expand the number of eligible professionals relative to mental health care services (S. 3233), S11000 [25OC], S11528 [14NO]

———eliminate reduction in payment rates to home health agencies for home health services (S. 2365), S2242-S2244 [5AP], S8094 [6SE], S8807-S8809 [20SE], S8874-S8877 [21SE]

———enhance the critical access hospital program (S. 2600), S4237 [22MY]

———ensure reimbursement for certain ambulance services and improve the efficiency of the emergency medical system (S. 911), S3686 [9MY]

———establish a hospice demonstration and grant program for beneficiaries (S. 3026), S8413 [12SE]

———establish a physician recruitment and retention project (S. 3167), S9949 [5OC]

———establish a voluntary plan under which eligible beneficiaries may elect to receive coverage for outpatient prescription drugs (S. 2319), S1899-S1901 [29MR], S2650-S2653 [13AP]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals, S11898 [15DE]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (S. 2644), S4557 [6JN], S4921 [9JN]

———expand coverage of certain self-injected biologicals (S. 2957), S7849 [27JY]

———improve access to Medicare+Choice plans through an increase in annual capitation rates (S. 2937), S7679-S7687 [26JY]

———improve coverage determination process relative to new advances in medical technology (S. 1626), S78 [26JA]

———improve fee-for-services reimbursement rates in rural States (S. 2610), S4315, S4316 [23MY]

———improve health of senior citizens and disabled individuals (S. 2727), S5109 [14JN]

———improve Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital program (S. 2768), S5666 [22JN]

———improve methodology for the calculation of Medicare+Choice program payment rates (S. 3029), S8407 [12SE]

———improve the manner in which new medical technologies are made available to beneficiaries, S11861-S11863 [15DE]

———improve the manner in which new medical technologies are made available to beneficiaries (S. 3082), S8858 [20SE]

———increase access to health care for beneficiaries through telemedicine (S. 2505), S3519, S3520 [4MY]

———increase awareness of the availability of cost-sharing assistance to eligible low-income beneficiaries (S. 2814), S6124 [29JN]

———increase payment amount and establish an annual payment review process for renal dialysis services (S. 3038), S8420 [12SE]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program, S10669 [18OC]

———make improvements to the Medicare+Choice program (S. 2905), S7449 [21JY]

———make improvements to the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facility services (S. 3050), S8588, S8589 [14SE]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit, S8775, S8869 [20SE]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), S6182 [29JN], S6185 [30JN]

———make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (S. 2807), S6020 [28JN]

———payment of claims by health care providers against insolvent Medicare+Choice organizations (S. 2110), S867 [28FE]

———preserve access to outpatient cancer treatment by ensuring any changes in reimbursement rates are based on appropriate guidelines and analysis by GAO (S. 3003), S8022 [5SE], S8093 [6SE]

———promote research for health promotion and disease prevention and add preventive benefits, S8536, S8537 [14SE], S8748-S8750 [19SE]

———promote research for health promotion and disease prevention and add preventive benefits (S. 2232), S1400-S1402 [9MR]

———provide appropriate transition from interim payment system to prospective payment system for home health services (S. 2835), S6257-S6259 [30JN]

———provide for additional payment of services for certain high-cost individuals under the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facility service (S. 1500), S77 [26JA]

———provide for equitable reimbursement rates to Medicare+Choice organizations, S11234 [27OC], S11621 [6DE], S11682 [7DE]

———provide for moratorium on mandatory delay of payment of claims and establish advanced informational infrastructure for administration of Federal health benefit programs (S. 2312), S1893 [29MR]

———provide guidance to health care providers attempting to properly submit claims and target truly fraudulent activity for enforcement of billing regulations rather than inadvertent errors (S. 3131), S9469 [28SE]

———reductions in prescription drug prices, S2032-S2034 [3AP], S4974-S4978 [13JN], S9839 [4OC]

———reductions in prescription drug prices (S. 731), S838-S840 [28FE], S11564 [5DE]

———reform, S348 [7FE], S6204 [30JN], S8091-S8097 [6SE], S8272-S8274 [8SE], S8629 [15SE], S10667-S10669 [18OC], S11455 [1NO]

———reimbursement levels for free-standing cancer hospitals for outpatient services, S11481 [1NO]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (S. 1609), S3688 [9MY]

———revise inflation update factor used in making payments to prospective payment system hospitals (S. 2018), S213 [1FE], S8776-S8778 [20SE], S9883 [5OC]

———revise payments for certain physician pathology services (S. 3055), S8592 [14SE]

———revise the calculation of base payment rates for the prospective payment system for home health services (S. 2766), S5663 [22JN]

———revise the calculation of base payment rates for the prospective payment system for home health services (S. 3034), S8418 [12SE]

———State accreditation of diabetes self-management training programs (S. 3084), S8862 [20SE]

———use of additional projected surplus funds to supplement funding previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act, S6984 [14JY], S7784-S7786 [27JY]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, S11225 [27OC], S11821 [15DE]

———waive waiting period for coverage and provide coverage of drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (S. 1074), S9889, S9890 [5OC]

———waive waiting period for coverage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, S6797 [14JY]

Medicare/Medicaid: improve patient safety by reducing medical errors (S. 2378), S2349 [6AP]

———require criminal background checks for nursing facility workers (S. 3066), S8759 [19SE]

———restrict use and require recording and reporting of information on use of physical and chemical restraints and seclusion in mental health facilities, S6204 [30JN]

Mental health: protect individuals who need mental health services (S. 3238), S11004 [25OC]

National Life Insurance Co.: anniversary, S3603 [8MY]

Navy: establish human resources service center, S10374 [12OC]

OPM: administer a national health program to offer Federal employee health benefits plans to individuals who are not Federal employees (S. 3284), S11927 [15DE]

Patients Before Paperwork Medicare Red Tape Reduction Commission: establish (S. 2708), S4851 [8JN]

Pharmaceuticals: provide access and choice for use of generic drugs under Federal health care programs (S. 2501), S3328 [3MY], S11564 [5DE]

Safety Net Organizations and Patient Advisory Commission: establish (S. 3035), S8407, S8419 [12SE]

Senate: legislative priorities, S5323-S5325 [19JN], S8642-S8644 [18SE], S9400, S9401 [27SE], S9565 [2OC], S10611 [17OC], S10884, S10885, S10886 [23OC]

Senior citizens: prevent and increase penalties for crimes such as health care, pension, and telemarketing fraud, and nursing home abuse and fraud (S. 751), S8190 [7SE], S9945 [5OC]

Small business: protect from litigation excesses and limit product liability of non-manufacturer product sellers (H.R. 2366), S1753 [27MR], S1765 [28MR]

Social Security: allow diversion of percentage of payroll tax payments into personal investment plans, S4243-S4253 [23MY], S4339 [24MY], S4978-S4980 [13JN], S5317 [19JN], S5773 [26JN]

———effects of reform proposals on women, S4247 [23MY]

———ensure solvency of trust funds, S6656-S6659 [13JY]

———expand Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program to include parents of low-income families, S2412-S2414 [7AP], S6790-S6792 [14JY], S7048 [17JY]

———expand Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program to include parents of low-income families (S. 2923), S7660-S7663 [26JY]

———expand State Children's Health Insurance Program to include parents of low-income families (S. 2976), S7891 [27JY]

———extend availability of State Children's Health Insurance Program allotments, S11876 [15DE]

———extend availability of State Children's Health Insurance Program allotments (S. 2434), S2744, S2745 [13AP]

———increase spousal survivors' benefit and allow women taking leave to care for a child or relative to exempt those years from benefit calculations, S6656-S6659 [13JY]

———level of benefit payment in the month of the beneficiary's death (S. 2926), S7665 [26JY]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to Balanced Budget Act, S6984 [14JY]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act, S77 [26JA], S10653 [18OC], S11104, S11109-S11111 [26OC], S11195, S11197-S11204, S11217-S11224, S11283-S11290 [27OC], S11455-S11457, S11472, S11486 [1NO], S11818, S11861-S11863, S11870, S11871, S11882 [15DE]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (S. 3077), S8825-S8857 [20SE], S8879 [21SE]

———make corrections in Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Program relative to the Balanced Budget Act (S. 3165), S9946, S9947, S10027 [5OC]

———phase out taxation of benefits (S. 2304), S1817 [28MR]

———promote smoking cessation under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Maternal and Child Health Program (S. 3073), S8765 [19SE]

———protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened budgetary enforcement mechanisms, S2385, S2394, S2395 [7AP]

———protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened budgetary enforcement mechanisms (H.R. 3859), S5580 [21JN], S5654, S5710 [22JN]

———protect surplus by requiring a sequester to eliminate any deficit (S. 2001), S10 [24JA], S104 [26JA]

———provide additional safeguards for certain beneficiaries with representative payees (S. 2477), S3024 [27AP]

———provide retirement security through payroll deductions and extend solvency of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program (S. 1383), S2660 [13AP]

———provide retirement security through payroll deductions and extend solvency of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program (S. 2774), S5668 [22JN]

———reform, S3938-S3940 [15MY], S4243-S4253 [23MY], S4339 [24MY], S5317 [19JN]

———repeal tax increase on benefits, eliminate earnings test for retirement age individuals, and raise age for minimum distributions from pension plans (S. 2180), S1126 [2MR]

———require report to Congress on solvency, S1483, S1484, S1493 [21MR], S1535 [22MR]

———require report to Congress on solvency (S. 2249), S1462 [20MR]

Social Security Act: anniversary, S7821 [27JY]

Social Security Protection, Preservation, and Reform Commission: establish (S. 2510), S3524-S3529 [4MY]

SSI: funding, S5980-S5984 [28JN]

Taxation: allow a refundable credit for health insurance costs (S. 2337), S1995 [30MR]

———allow a refundable credit for long-term care, S6660-S6662 [13JY]

———allow small employers a tax credit for costs paid or incurred for employee health insurance expenses, S7049 [17JY]

———allow small employers a tax credit for costs paid or incurred for employee health insurance expenses (S. 2964), S7858 [27JY]

———allow small employers a tax credit for costs paid or incurred for employee health insurance expenses (S. 2994), S7909 [27JY]

———credit for health insurance costs (S. 2320), S1901-S1904 [29MR]

———deny tax benefits for research conducted by pharmaceutical companies where U.S. consumers pay more for products of that research than foreign consumers (S. 2465), S2943 [26AP]

———disclosure of employer's share of taxes paid for old-age, survivors, disability, and hospital insurance for the employee (H.R. 1264), S7952 [27JY]

———exclude U.S. savings bond income from gross income if used to pay long-term care expenses, S6799 [14JY], S7050 [17JY]

———exclude U.S. savings bond income from gross income if used to pay long-term care expenses (S. 2066), S624 [10FE]

———full deduction of health insurance costs for self-employed individuals, S6815 [14JY], S7049 [17JY]

———maintain retiree health benefits under the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act (S. 2538), S3834 [10MY]

———provide income tax credit to long-term caregivers (S. 2096), S809 [24FE]

———provide income tax credit to long-term caregivers (S. 2984), S7898 [27JY]

———provide tax credits to individuals aged 55 to 64 to purchase COBRA health coverage through elimination of the percentage depletion allowance for hardrock mining on Federal lands, S6788 [14JY], S7046 [17JY]

———treatment of flexible spending arrangements relative to long-term care insurance (S. 2225), S1392 [9MR], S7650 [26JY]

———treatment of policyholder dividends of mutual life insurance companies and policyholder surplus accounts (S. 2874), S6843 [14JY]

———treatment of small property and casualty insurance companies (S. 3099), S9036 [22SE]

Veterans: health care funding, S2317, S2318, S2338 [6AP]

———increase health and disability benefits, S1807, S1809 [28MR]

Women: improve health and reduce health care costs for low-income and uninsured women by expanding existing screening and preventive health programs (S. 2635), S4463-S4465 [25MY]

Reports

Health Insurance Deduction of Little Help to the Uninsured: Joel Friedman and Iris J. Lav, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, S11328 [29OC]

Leadership's Tax Plan Reinforces Inequities in Health and Pension Coverage: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, S11327 [29OC]

Social Security Board as Case Study: Congressional Research Service, E358 [21MR]

Vulnerable Populations and Medicare Services: Marian E. Gornick, Century Foundation, E1635 [29SE]

Reports filed

Agricultural Risk Protection Act: Committee of Conference (H.R. 2559) (H. Rept. 106-639), H3812 [24MY]

Alaska Native and American Indian Direct Reimbursement Act: Committee on Resources (House) (S. 406) (H. Rept. 106-818), H7279 [6SE]

Beneficiary Improvement and Protection Act: Committee of Conference (H.R. 5291) (H. Rept. 106-1019), H11620 [30OC]

Coal Accountability and Retired Employee Act for the 21st Century: Committee on Resources (House) (H.R. 4144) (H. Rept. 106-1014), H11445 [27OC]

Consideration of Conference Report on H.R. 2559, Agricultural Risk Protection Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 512) (H. Rept. 106-640), H3812 [24MY]

Consideration of H.R. 853, Comprehensive Budget Process Reform Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 499) (H. Rept. 106-613), H2905 [10MY]

Consideration of H.R. 1304, Quality Health-Care Coalition Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 542) (H. Rept. 106-709), H5435 [28JN]

Consideration of H.R. 2366, Small Business Liability Reform Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 423) (H. Rept. 106-498), H454 [15FE]

Consideration of H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 539) (H. Rept. 106-705), H5239 [27JN]

Consideration of H.R. 4865, Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 564) (H. Rept. 106-795), H7092 [26JY]

Disaster Mitigation Act: Committee on Environment and Public Works (Senate) (S. 1691) (S. Rept. 106-295), S4013 [16MY]

Disaster Mitigation and Cost Reduction Act: Committee on Environment and Public Works (Senate) (H.R. 707), S4013 [16MY]

Electronic Communications Privacy Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 5018) (H. Rept. 106-932), H8799 [4OC]

Federal Employees Health Benefits Children's Equity Act: Committee on Government Reform (House) (H.R. 2842) (H. Rept. 106-779), H6776 [24JY]

———Committee on Governmental Affairs (Senate) (S. 1688) (S. Rept. 106-492), S10082 [6OC]

Homeowners' Insurance Availability Act: Committee on Banking and Financial Services (House) (H.R. 21) (H. Rept. 106-526), H1075 [15MR]

Long-Term Care Security Act: Committee on Government Reform (House) (H.R. 4040) (H. Rept. 106-610), H2654 [8MY]

———Committee on Governmental Affairs (Senate) (S. 2420) (S. Rept. 106-344), S6841 [14JY]

Medical Financial Privacy Protection Act: Committee on Banking and Financial Services (House) (H.R. 4585) (H. Rept. 106-773), H6717 [20JY]

Medicare Rx 2000 Act: Committee on Ways and Means (House) (H.R. 4680) (H. Rept. 106-703), H5239 [27JN]

Quality Health-Care Coalition Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 1304) (H. Rept. 106-625), H3412 [18MY]

Rental Fairness Act: Committee on Commerce (House) (H.R. 1954) (H. Rept. 106-774), H6717 [20JY]

Retired Coal Miners Health Benefit Security Act: Committee on Finance (Senate) (S. 3267) (S. Rept. 106-512), S11494 [1NO]

Risk Management for the 21st Century Act: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Senate) (S. 2251) (S. Rept. 106-247), S1461 [20MR], S1596 [22MR]

Senate Amendment to H.R. 4386, Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 628) (H. Rept. 106-975), H9766 [11OC]

Small Business Liability Reform Act: Committee on the Judiciary (House) (H.R. 2366) (H. Rept. 106-494), H218 [7FE]

Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act: Committee on Ways and Means (House) (H.R. 4865) (H. Rept. 106-780), H6776 [24JY]

Veterans Benefits Act: Committee on Veterans Affairs' (House) (H.R. 4850) (H. Rept. 106-783), H6776 [24JY]

Rulings of the Chair

Medicare: make more competitive and efficient and provide for a prescription drug benefit (H.R. 4680), H5397 [28JN]

Taxation: repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (H.R. 4865), H7158 [27JY]

Statements

Auto Insurance for Teens: Matt Kozlowski, E1559 [21SE]

District of Columbia Inclusion of Conscience Clause in Legislation Mandating Coverage of Contraceptives by Health Insurance Plans: Several District of Columbia City Council Members, H7057 [26JY]

Family Care Act: Patricia Quezada, S7661 [26JY]

Prescription Drug Costs: Kayla Gildersleeve, Angela Deblasio, and Tess Grossi, E1579 [25SE]

Protection of Enrollees in Managed Care Plans and HMO's: National Conference of State Legislatures, S4797 [8JN]

Studies

Impact on Patients of Delays in Passing a Patients' Bill of Rights: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (Senate) Minority Staff, S2340 [6AP]

Internet Sampling of Health Insurance Policy Rates: Representative Stark, E247 [8MR]

Rural Case Studies on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, S8 [24JA]

Summaries

Basic Access to Secure Health Insurance Coverage Health Plan (BASIC Health Plan) Act (H.R. 5551), E1908 [25OC]

Basic Access To Secure Health Insurance Coverage Health Plan (BASIC Health Plan) Act (S. 3172), S9958 [5OC]

Comprehensive Budget Process Reform Act (H.R. 853): Dreier Amendment on Establishing a 2-year Budget Cycle, H3079-H3082 [16MY]

Guarantee Comprehensive Health Care Coverage for All Children (H.R. 4390), E660 [4MY]

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act (H.R. 5324), E1615 [27SE]

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act (S. 3077), S8851 [20SE]

Medicare Early Access and Tax Credit Act (H.R. 4938), E1305 [24JY]

Medicare Health Improvement Act (S. 2727), S5112 [14JN]

MediKids Health Insurance Act (S. 2515), S3543 [4MY]

Offering People True Insurance Options Nationwide Act (S. 3284), S11927 [15DE]

Risk Management for the 21st Century Act (S. 2251): Specialty Crop Provisions, S1566 [22MR]

State Children's Health Insurance Program, S11052 [26OC]

Stop All Frequent Errors (SAFE) in Medicare and Medicaid Act (S. 2378), S2349 [6AP]

Tables

Average Medicare+Choice payment rates in metropolitan and primary metropolitan statistical areas, S7680-S7685 [26JY]

Clinton Administration Medicare funding, S2063 [4AP]

Comparision between the Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Act and the Clinton administration proposal on Medicare coverage of outpatient prescription drugs, S2652, S2653 [13AP]

Comparision of prescription drug prices in Washington (State) and Canada, S2091 [4AP]

Comparison between George W. Bush's and Vice President Gore's Medicare reform plans, S10962 [25OC]

Comparison of Medicare payment rates across settings for selected high volume ambulatory care services, E959 [9JN]

Growth in the number of uninsured Americans (1988-98), S7238 [19JY]

Health insurance price quotes after medical underwriting, E269 [9MR]

Most important reasons for not having health insurance (2000), S7238 [19JY]

Socio-demographic characteristics of long-term care insurance purchasers, E8 [27JA]

Testimonies

Protection of Enrollees in Managed Care Plans and HMO's: Mary Munnings Lewandowski, S10128 [10OC]

Texts of

H. Res. 423, consideration of H.R. 2366, Small Business Liability Reform Act, H461 [16FE]

H. Res. 499, consideration of H.R. 853, Comprehensive Budget Process Reform Act, H3078 [16MY]

H. Res. 512, consideration of conference report on H.R. 2559, Agricultural Risk Protection Act, H3816 [25MY]

H. Res. 535, use of additional projected surplus funds to supplement Medicare funding previously reduced under the Balanced Budget Act, H5423 [28JN]

H. Res. 539, consideration of H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5300 [28JN]

H. Res. 542, consideration of H.R. 1304, Quality Health-Care Coalition Act, H5617 [29JN]

H. Res. 607, concur with Senate amendment to H.R. 707, Disaster Mitigation Act, H8663-H8671 [3OC]

H. Res. 628, Senate amendment to H.R. 4386, Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, H9843 [12OC]

H.R. 707, Disaster Mitigation Act, S10011-S10019 [5OC], H9562-H9568 [10OC]

H.R. 1264, Right-To-Know National Payroll Act, H6380 [18JY]

H.R. 2366, Small Business Liability Reform Act, H474-H476 [16FE]

H.R. 2842, Federal Employees Health Benefits Children's Equity Act, H7760 [19SE]

H.R. 3859, Social Security and Medicare Lock-Box Act, H4708 [20JN]

H.R. 4040, Long-Term Care Security Act, H2668-H2670 [9MY], H7181-H7187 [27JY]

H.R. 4386, Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, H2687-H2689 [9MY], H9847 [12OC]

H.R. 4401, Health Care Infrastructure Investment Act, H2749 [9MY]

H.R. 4680, Medicare Rx 2000 Act, H5319, H5334-H5349 [28JN]

H.R. 4850, Veterans Benefits Act, H6783 [25JY]

H.R. 4850, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, H9911 [17OC]

H.R. 4865, Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act, H7153 [27JY]

H.R. 5256, FHA Shutdown Prevention Act, E1572 [22SE]

H.R. 5622, Medicare Program Infrastructure Investment Act, H11794-H11796 [2NO]

S. 406, Alaska Native and American Indian Direct Reimbursement Act, H9957 [17OC]

S. 2003, Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act, S39 [24JA]

S. 2013, Honoring Health Care Commitments to Servicemembers Past and Present Act, S115-S118 [27JA]

S. 2066, exclude U.S. savings bond income from gross income taxation if used to pay long-term care expenses, S625 [10FE]

S. 2160, Fair Access to Infertility Treatment and Hope Act, S1122 [2MR]

S. 2237, Seniors' Security Act, S1411-S1413 [9MR]

S. 2241, Medicare Wage-Index Reclassification Act, S1415 [9MR]

S. 2308, Medicaid Safety Net Hospital Act, S1822 [28MR]

S. 2320, Health Coverage, Access, Relief, and Equity (C.A.R.E.) Act, S1902-S1904 [29MR]

S. 2369, waive Federal preemption of State laws in court cases awarding punitive damages against moving companies engaging in unfair practices in processing of property claims, S2348 [6AP]

S. 2420, Long-Term Care Security Act, S2734-S2736 [13AP], S7575-S7581 [25JY]

S. 2434, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Preservation Act, S2744 [13AP]

S. 2501, Generic Pharmaceutical Access and Choice for Consumers Act, S3329-S3331 [3MY]

S. 2510, Social Security Protection, Preservation, and Reform Commission Act, S3526-S3528 [4MY]

S. 2513, Financial Information Privacy Protection Act, S3532-S3535 [4MY]

S. 2515, MediKids Health Insurance Act, S3539-S3543 [4MY]

S. 2538, Coal Miner and Widows Health Protection Act, S3835 [10MY]

S. 2541, Medicare Expansion for Needed Drugs (MEND) Act, S3840-S3848 [10MY]

S. 2556, implementation of a prospective payment system for psychiatric hospitals under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act, S3947 [15MY]

S. 2610, Medicare Fairness in Reimbursement Act, S4316 [23MY]

S. 2669, restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services, S4566 [6JN]

S. 2693, Alaska Medicaid Equity Act, S4821 [8JN]

S. 2708, Patients Before Paperwork Medicare Red Tape Reduction Act, S4851 [8JN]

S. 2727, Medicare Health Improvement Act, S5109-S5112 [14JN]

S. 2774, Bipartisan Social Security Reform Act, S5669-S5676 [22JN]

S. 2798, Deposit and Share Insurance Adjustment Act, S5905 [27JN]

S. 2819, Health Care Consumer Assistance Act, S6132-S6134 [29JN]

S. 2826, Medicare Adult Day Services Alternative Act, S6138 [29JN]

S. 2874, Life Insurance Tax Simplification Act, S6843 [14JY]

S. 2888, Health Security for All Americans Act, S7232-S7238 [19JY]

S. 2905, Medicare+Choice Program Improvement Act, S7450 [21JY]

S. 2914, Homeowners Rebate Act, S7543 [25JY]

S. 2918, Medicare Early Access and Tax Credit Act, S7546-S7552 [25JY]

S. 2926, Social Security Family Relief Act, S7666 [26JY]

S. 2937, Medicare Geographic Fair Payment Act, S7679 [26JY]

S. 2957, Medicare Self-Administered Medications Act, S7849 [27JY]

S. 2994, Health Insurance Equity Act, S7909-S7911 [27JY]

S. 3003, Cancer Care Preservation Act, S8023 [5SE]

S. 3016, Medicare Temporary Drug Assistance Act, S8199-S8204 [7SE]

S. 3017, Medicare Temporary Drug Assistance Act, S8204-S8209 [7SE]

S. 3026, Hospice Improvement Program Act, S8414 [12SE]

S. 3055, Physician Pathology Services Fair Payment Act, S8592 [14SE]

S. 3066, Senior Care Safety Act, S8760 [19SE]

S. 3077, Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act, S8826-S8851 [20SE]

S. 3131, Medicare Billing and Education Act, S9470-S9472 [28SE]

S. 3167, Physician Recruitment and Retention Act, S9949 [5OC]

S. 3261, HMO Guaranty Act, S11375 [30OC]

S. 3284, Offering People True Insurance Options Nationwide Act, S11927 [15DE]

S. Res. 260, improve access to health care services for uninsured and low-income individuals in medically under served areas, S824 [24FE]