HR 2606 · 108th Congress 2003–2005, ended

Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003

Introduced Jun 25, 2003 Originated House Sponsor Mike Thompson D-CA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Jul 11, 2003 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJun 25, 2003
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Delivery Program) (VPDBDP) under which each individual who is entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or enrolled under Medicare part B (Supplemental Medical Insurance) is entitled to obtain qualified prescription drug coverage. Authorizes the individual to elect to enroll: (1) in a MedicareAdvantage (MA) plan (replacing the current Medicare+Choice plans under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice)); or (2) if a fee-for-service enrollee not in an MA plan, in a Medicare Prescription Drug (MPD) plan. Makes separate provision for: (1) enrollees in a MedicareAdvantage medical savings account (MSA) plan; and (2) enrollees in MedicareAdvantage private fee-for-service plans.

Makes the Administrator of the Center for Medicare Choices (CMC), established under this Act, responsible for administration of the VPDBDP.

Outlines standard coverage benefit packages for FY 2006. Includes for the standard package an annual deductible of $275, and requires insurers to cover 50 percent of enrollees drug costs up to the initial coverage limit of $4,500. Requires enrollees to cover all costs over $4,500 until out-of-pocket expenses reach $3,700 (catastrophic threshhold), after which an enrollee would be responsible only for a ten-percent co-pay. Prescribes a formula for adjustment of such deductible and annual limits for inflation.

Establishes a bidding process for negotiating the terms and conditions of MPD plan sponsors.

Provides for full premium subsidy and reduction of cost-sharing for individuals with incomes below 135 percent of the Federal poverty level.

Establishes a Prescription Drug Account in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

Sets out a new Medicare prescription drug discount card and assistance program under the Medicare program.

Directs the Secretary to develop or adopt standards for electronic prescribing transactions.

Directs the Secretary to establish within the Department of Health and Human Services the CMC, which shall be separate from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including an Office of Beneficiary Assistance (containing a Medicare Ombudsman) and a Medicare Competitive Policy Advisory Board.

Revises Medicare requirements with regard to: (1) part A concerning rural health care, inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, hospices, and the Federal rate for hospitals in Puerto Rico; (2) part B concerning physicians services and other specified services, as well as demonstration projects for coverage of chiropractic services, Medicare health care quality, Medicare complex clinical case management payment, and Medicare fee-for-service care coordination; and (3) part A and B concerning home health services, as well as a demonstration program for substitute adult day care services.

Revises requirements with respect to regulatory procedures, the Medicare appeals process, contracting with Medicare administrative contractors, provider education, a Medicare Provider Ombudsman, beneficiary outreach demonstration programs, prepayment review, recovery of overpayments, enforcement, and establishment of a Consumer Ombudsman Account in the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.

Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) with regard to: (1) the 30-month of Food and Drug Administration approval for any new drug in certain circumstances; and (2) forfeiture of the 180-day marketing exclusivity period by the first new drug applicant to a subsequent applicant.

Amends the FFDCA to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations permitting pharmacists, wholesalers, and individuals to import prescription drugs from Canada into the United States, subject to specified conditions.

Cosponsors 21

Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jun 25, 2003.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-FLAllen BoydOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-TXCharles W. StenholmOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-LAChristopher JohnOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-GADavid ScottOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-CADennis A. CardozaOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-KSDennis MooreOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-NDEarl PomeroyOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-TNHarold E. Ford Jr.OriginalJun 25, 2003
D-UTJim MathesonOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-TXJim TurnerOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-TNJohn S. TannerOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-KYKen LucasOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-TNLincoln DavisOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-ARMarion BerryOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-MEMichael H. MichaudOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-NCMike McIntyreOriginalJun 25, 2003
R-LARodney AlexanderOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-GASanford D. Bishop, Jr.OriginalJun 25, 2003
D-NYSteve IsraelOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-PATim HoldenOriginalJun 25, 2003
D-ILWilliam O. LipinskiOriginalJun 25, 2003

Committees 2

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Jun 25, 2003
Health Subcommittee
Referred Jul 11, 2003
HouseWays and Means Committee
Referred Jun 25, 2003
Health Subcommittee
Referred Jul 7, 2003

Actions 4

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Jul 11, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  2. Jul 7, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  3. Jun 25, 2003Introduced in House
  4. Jun 25, 2003Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Titles 3

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide prescription drug coverage under the Medicare Program, to make improvements in Medicare payment for rural providers, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003
Short Titles as Introduced for portions of this bill
Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Health.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Jun 25, 2003Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.